as in to close
to come near or nearer
belly up to the buffet table and help yourselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of belly up
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
The hilarious clip, shared on Monday under the username @caragamblee, shows the pup sleeping on the bed with his belly up and his paws stretched out, all while resting his head on the pillow.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In 1998, hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management was bailed out after its highly leveraged bets on bond arbitrage went belly up after the Russian debt default.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
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
The hilarious clip, shared on Monday under the username @caragamblee, shows the pup sleeping on the bed with his belly up and his paws stretched out, all while resting his head on the pillow.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In 1998, hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management was bailed out after its highly leveraged bets on bond arbitrage went belly up after the Russian debt default.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly up
Verb
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Knight closed the chapter on an extraordinary Olympic career by rescuing her teammates and her beloved team and nation.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Alberta Street also closes down to traffic every Thursday evening in the summer for a 15-block art walk.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The grainy video shows a man in a ski mask approaching Guthrie’s front door and attempting to cover her doorbell camera with a gloved hand.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of approaching concept artists with vague direction, Rune Entertainment’s process is structured to deliver precise briefs rooted in narrative intent and visual logic.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Martinezes drew on their ancestral flavors — as well as Raúl’s experience as a butcher — to launch their own taco truck out of a former ice cream van in 1974.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Wexner was Epstein's most significant client, and Epstein reportedly drew on his association with the retail magnate behind Victoria's Secret to attract young women and girls.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Upscale wellness resorts advertised the idea that a guest could come and experience meditation and spiritual healing without having to sleep on a floor, abstain from alcohol, or take a vow of silence.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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Boston City Hall helped kick off Lunar New Year celebrations Sunday with dragon and lion dances, music and more, a celebration the city will continue with a number of events and activities to ring in the Year of the Horse over the coming weeks.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The calendar is nearing March and coaches are feeling the pressure.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In late April 1945, as World War II neared its end in Europe, three newborn babies and their mothers arrived at the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The two lawmakers, who are set to retire at the end of the year, reassured their counterparts throughout the weekend that there was a new generation of lawmakers coming up behind them that was committed to maintaining, and building new, global alliances.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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One word kept coming up among women who talked about their journeys in those years.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belly up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20up. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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