underbelly

noun

un·​der·​bel·​ly ˈən-dər-ˌbe-lē 

1

: a vulnerable area

also : a corrupt or sordid part

probing the underbelly of the entertainment industry

2

: the underside of a body or mass

Synonyms of underbelly

• underworld

Examples of underbelly in a Sentence

They exposed the underbelly of the nation's economic policy.

the sordid underbelly of city life

Recent Examples on the Web

Warm yet uplifting with a strong hit of black tea, Still Bloom's cardomom, sesame, and orange top notes hit like a shot of caffeine before dissipating into a mellow, comforting underbelly of musk, rose and cedarwood, to name a few. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

There’s a fascinating synchronicity between the current real-world anxiety and the film industry’s sudden interest in dense studies of the tech world’s dark underbelly. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

At the press conference afterward, in the underbelly of the new stadium, coach David Braun spoke, awe-struck, of gratitude for the Ryan family, the student section and countless others. — Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

There's so much personality packed into these sequences, offering fantastic world-building that helps flesh out this particular underbelly of the Star Wars universe. — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for underbelly

• vermicelli
• allele
• appellee
• ocelli
• belly
• deli
• jelly
• kellie
• melly
• nellie
• nelly
• shelly

Kids Definition

underbelly

noun

un·​der·​bel·​ly ˈən-dər-ˌbel-ē 

: the underpart of a body or mass

the underbelly of a bomber

also : an area open to attack or damage

the army's underbelly