bellies 1 of 2

plural of belly
1
as in stomachs
an enlarged or bulging abdomen worked hard to get rid of his belly in time to attend his class reunion

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2
as in abdomens
the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis a baby with a round little belly

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3
as in hearts
the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions in my belly I knew that he wasn't telling the truth, as the details of his story just didn't add up

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bellies

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of belly

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 bellies
Noun
Every day, the snow crept farther down the mountains, and as the horses waded the creeks, ice froze on their tails and bellies. Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 While Formula 1 can fly its grid around the world in the bellies of air transporters, the outsized, awkward dimensions of a foiling catamaran hull make aviation a non-starter. Andrew Rice, New York Times, 27 May 2026 All sleek lines of Range Rover perfection, shining like it's been buffed by the soft bellies of kittens. ABC News, 26 May 2026 Their easy, hedonic seductiveness emerges, too, via Yuskavage’s lush, rounded, fleshy brushstrokes (a different sort of stroke material, for the patriarchy or for anyone else), which render everything from boobs to bellies to nipples smooth and swollen, like a succulent fruit fixing to burst. Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 23 May 2026 Terminus always made sure their arrival came just after nightfall when the streetlights were lit and families were sitting back with full bellies bumping against their dinner tables, houses quiet; all conversation having already been spent between forkfuls of food and hearty swallows of drink. Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 Brew bellies, however, may abound. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 May 2026 The best laughs — loud, distinctive, recognizable — come from soft bellies. Erin Entrada Kelly, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026 These sweet, tangy, and saucy little bites have long held a special place in our hearts—and bellies. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellies
Noun
  • At the time, Soros, along with the financiers Julian Robertson and Michael Steinhardt, defined the public image of hedge-fund managers as investment wizards who made fortunes through huge bets, contrarian calls, iron stomachs, and a willingness to operate close to—or over—the regulatory line.
    Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • Though gone from the stomachs of people in the industrialized world, the bacteria has been detected among tribes in Africa and South America, Sarhan said.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Starting in 2013 more than a hundred thousand women received calls about the urgent need to have surgically implanted pelvic mesh removed from their lower abdomens.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The stingers they are equipped with can be up to about a quarter-inch (6 mm) in length and inject a painful venom – which is stored in large quantities in their abdomens – into their victims.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Millennials have a soft spot in their hearts for babydoll tops.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026
  • Our hearts go out to the people who were lost, their families, and everyone who has been impacted.
    Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • These are more likely to cause painless rectal bleeding or tissue that protrudes during a bowel movement.
    Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Part of it protrudes from the exterior, with natural airflow helping keep the food inside chilled.
    Adam Williams March 29, New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When a Knicks game lets out at the Garden or concertgoers from the Meadowlands pour out of Penn Station, crowds pack the Tick Tock’s orange-and-green banquettes and the line snakes out the door.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
  • The River Caqueta snakes nearly 1,800 miles into the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Bringing corporations to the table One of the proposal’s principle architects said advocates for the tax increase had faced long odds from the start.
    Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
  • Bob Swindell, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, told commissioners there are three corporations looking to bid on the same property, and the county does not want to be seen as competing with them instead of luring them to South Florida.
    Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Catholic leadership felt Darwinism could explain physical biology but threatened the existence of unique human souls.
    Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
  • When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a brain aneurysm is a weakened area in an artery that bulges outward and fills with blood.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bellies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellies. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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