belly 1 of 2

noun

ˈbe-lē How to pronounce belly (audio)
Definition of bellynext
1
as in stomach
a need or desire for food as dinnertime approached he could think only of his belly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corporation
an enlarged or bulging abdomen worked hard to get rid of his belly in time to attend his class reunion

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in abdomen
the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis a baby with a round little belly

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in soul
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

belly

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point the sails slowly bellied as the wind picked up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to snake
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 belly
Noun
Pushing on or leaning against something that compresses the belly may increase the discomfort. — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026 As her pregnancy progressed, Kabita’s belly swelled while the rest of her remained gaunt. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 However, the version of Greg that came clean to Denise about being fired, stopped drinking, and stepped up for his family now resides in the belly of a dinosaur. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 In the early days of plane Wi-Fi, aircraft had what were essentially giant mobile hot spots attached to their bellies, which would connect to cell towers on the ground. — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly
  1. stomach
  2. fat
  3. abdomen
  4. soul
  5. protrude
  6. snake
  7. hunger
  8. paunch
Noun
  • And, of course, cyclospora — that stomach parasite making people miserable across the country.
    — Rob Stein, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For mild nausea, massage a few drops of diluted peppermint oil directly on the stomach.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stomach
Noun
  • Waist circumference, for instance, can provide information BMI misses, particularly about abdominal fat.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Aspen is the most important food source, and large buds in the fall and winter are especially rich in protein, fats and minerals.
    — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fat
Noun
  • Putting pressure on the abdomen and especially the bladder may make the sensation of needing to go even more uncomfortable.
    — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026
  • It's injected into the abdomen, releasing into the body slowly over time.
    — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of abdomen
Noun
  • But what made this particular family sing-along remarkable was that one of the lead voices belonged to soul legend Bobby Womack.
    — Morena Duwe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The man, despite the cold, hadn’t grabbed a jacket and didn’t seem to know a soul still left on the field.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of soul
Verb
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of protrude
Verb
  • The miniature shows the ride snaking around the Disneyland Monorail, and reveals a landscape that will fully transform the look and tone of California Adventure.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • At the Meijer gas station in Highland, several lines snaked through the parking lot and onto the main road on Wednesday.
    — Sara Machi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of snake
Noun
  • There is a hunger for AI, but a growing distaste for data centers.
    — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
  • That’s more than 20 million meals provided to children experiencing hunger across Central Florida.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • The hair may be grayer, the paunches a little more pronounced, and the joints a little creakier, but the Jackass promise of delivering the missing link between the Three Stooges and a snuff film remains.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026
  • There is a funny thread of everyone thinking Woody’s getting a bit old – rocking a paunch and a poncho – while Buzz pines for Jessie.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 June 2026
Definition of paunch

Phrases Containing belly

Browse Nearby Words

bellwethers
belly
bellyache
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Belly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on belly

Nglish: Translation of belly for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about belly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All