as in to close
to come near or nearer
belly up to the buffet table and help yourselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belly up
Foxy's Tamarind Bar and Restaurant Peel yourself away from White Bay Beach and belly up to the bar at Foxy's Tamarind Bar and Restaurant, a beloved island haunt since 1968.
—
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
The private patio space off of the living room bellies up to the beach, where two sunbeds and an umbrella are set up for sunset happy hours.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Feb. 2026
Once called ''the funniest woman on TV,'' Catherine O'Hara spends much of her time these days bellying up against a snooker table at the Squeeze Club, a Toronto juice bar and pool hall.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Across the river, Le Crocodile at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn brings a stylish, approachable scene for bellying up and indulging in sexy French cuisine.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
For the best seat in the house, request the chef's table that bellies up to the kitchen.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Wilding eventually rebranded a taproom in the River North Art District with the Great Divide name, so Denverites can still belly up without traveling to the suburbs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Wu compared the current state of the industry to the internet era before the dot-com bubble, when a host of firms went belly up but the technology reoriented the economy and established corporate giants.
—ABC News, 22 Nov. 2025
Knott’s Scary Farm visitors who belly up to the bar at the Calico Saloon can shout requests to a ghost pianist who plays everything from Ragtime masterpieces to summery pop hits by Katy Perry during the annual Halloween seasonal event.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
The private patio space off of the living room bellies up to the beach, where two sunbeds and an umbrella are set up for sunset happy hours.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Feb. 2026
Once called ''the funniest woman on TV,'' Catherine O'Hara spends much of her time these days bellying up against a snooker table at the Squeeze Club, a Toronto juice bar and pool hall.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Across the river, Le Crocodile at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn brings a stylish, approachable scene for bellying up and indulging in sexy French cuisine.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
For the best seat in the house, request the chef's table that bellies up to the kitchen.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Wilding eventually rebranded a taproom in the River North Art District with the Great Divide name, so Denverites can still belly up without traveling to the suburbs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Wu compared the current state of the industry to the internet era before the dot-com bubble, when a host of firms went belly up but the technology reoriented the economy and established corporate giants.
—ABC News, 22 Nov. 2025
Knott’s Scary Farm visitors who belly up to the bar at the Calico Saloon can shout requests to a ghost pianist who plays everything from Ragtime masterpieces to summery pop hits by Katy Perry during the annual Halloween seasonal event.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly up
Verb
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But his golf ball was close enough to a sprinkler cap that he was given free relief, dropped on the fringe and putted it to close range for a par.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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After Anaheim closed to within 3-1, Pavel Dorofeyev scored two third-period goals.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Even under broader classifications, California data does not show administrative spending approaching 50% of education funding.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Beyond emotional support, many patients also need guidance on lifestyle habits after starting treatment—including how to approach to diet and nutrition, Rariy said.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The horror feature draws on a Vietnamese urban legend about a cursed Saigon apartment block from the 1990s, following an estranged young man who returns home to discover his mother is possessed.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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At the heart of the ranking is its Quality of Life Index, a broad framework developed by InterNations that draws on five key subcategories, including healthcare, safety, and security.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
Verb
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This beguiling wine bar on one of the original streets of Chinatown is a model for how to enter a historic neighborhood respectfully, without erasing what came before.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Then the Solar System Dynamics Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory analyzes the objects that will come closest to Earth, using infrared-scanning telescopes such as NEOWISE to estimate the size of asteroids, especially darker ones that are difficult to see in the visible spectrum.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 May 2026
Verb
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That said, if one sensor has failed, the others are probably nearing the end of their lifespan as well.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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The most promising Indian launch company, Skyroot Aerospace, is nearing the pad with its first orbital rocket.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The potential for governments to intervene in film festivals comes up regularly in Europe, where taxpayer money is used to fund those events to greater or lesser degrees depending on the country.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
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The Fantasy 5 midday draw came up 1, 8, 10, 14 and 21, numbers picked by a shopper at the Fresco Y Mas Liquor store at 18302 SW 137th Ave.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belly up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20up. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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