underworld

noun

un·​der·​world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld 

1

: the place of departed souls : hades

2

archaic : earth

3

: the side of the earth opposite to one : antipodes

4

: a social sphere below the level of ordinary life

the town's seedy underworld

especially : the world of organized crime

Synonyms of underworld

• abyss
• netherworld
• depths
• demimonde

Examples of underworld in a Sentence

a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people

Recent Examples on the Web

Set in 1990s Manhattan, 24 star Sutherland plays a man of faith who wages a violent war against the city’s criminal underworld. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025

The Asset wastes no time dropping viewers into its dangerous underworld. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025

The story centers on Wang Wei, a humble tradesman forced into a violent criminal underworld after his daughter Rainy is kidnapped. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025

For Findikoglu, whose designs interrogate traditional modes of femininity and unspools them into powerfully sensually looks, hair acts as armor and invitation into her gothic underworld. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing underworld

• the underworld

Rhymes for underworld

• netherworld
• otherworld
• curled
• furled
• hurled
• knurled
• swirled
• twirled
• whirled
• whorled
• world
• lifeworld

Kids Definition

underworld

noun

un·​der·​world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld 

1

: the place of the souls of the dead

2

: the side of the earth opposite to one

3

: the world of organized crime