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bellied

verb

Definition of belliednext
past tense of belly
1
as in protruded
to extend outward beyond a usual point the sails slowly bellied as the wind picked up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crawled
to move slowly with the body close to the ground recruits were forced to belly over the obstacle course under simulated enemy fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bellied Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens behind the bar and actor Hugh Jackman bellied, err abs-ed, up to it. — Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellied
  1. protruded
  2. crawled
  3. poked
  4. crept
  5. bulged
  6. slid
  7. snaked
  8. slithered
Verb
  • In several looks, the hips protruded impressively outward, but the silhouette appeared more subtle and somewhat suitable for everyday wear in the label’s delicate camisole tops.
    — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026
  • The skinny braids wrapped the bottom of the bun, while the thicker braids dressed the top, forming a cylinder shape that protruded from the crown of her head.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Definition of protruded
Verb
  • Suki, who had been with her new family only a few weeks, had crawled into an opening in an entertainment center cabinet and could not get out.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Every window of every building the bus crawled past opened a severe yearning in me, as though my life here had become abstract or theoretical.
    — Hisham Matar, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of crawled
Verb
  • The dog’s ribs poked out, her skin was irritated and red, and patches of fur were missing — a possible sign of mange.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In between, Arsenal had plenty of attacking joy, particularly when the slick positional rotations of their right flank poked at the weak spot on the left of Chelsea’s defence.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of poked
Verb
  • But doubt crept into the stands as the game wore on, the mounting tension at times outshining the spiritwear.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Something like hope crept toward me when my oncologist was vulnerable about her own health.
    — David Elkowitz, STAT, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of crept
Verb
  • By later in the day, the second lake had bulged — sparking fears of another lethal torrent.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • My husband Grant Wahl's bulged and burst, at an age when this disease usually means something inherited.
    — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of bulged
Verb
  • The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims slid to 196,000, the fewest since mid-July and down from 206,000 the week before.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Carter slid inside and Thibodeaux rushed from the edge on third-and-5 late in the first half.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of slid
Verb
  • Demands for the exclusive event pins exceeded common sense and ventured into the absurd with haphazard lines that snaked through the convention center.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But the real action was in line for the Breen meet and greet, which snaked across the lobby of the Regal’s mezzanine level after the second screening.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of snaked
Verb
  • The snake, later identified as an approximately eight-foot-long Burmese python, had slithered beneath the floor of a wooden shed.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Laura stepped right into her body, felt a small resistance and then the give as the rival slithered, eagerly, into the air.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of slithered

Browse Nearby Words

bellicosity
bellied
bellied up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bellied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellied. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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