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
But when the primary local industry went belly up, so did the town.
—
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 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
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 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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Democrat Tom Steyer is in third place attemping to close the gap by utilizing a late surge in Democratic voters.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
-
However, this work is multifaceted and requires strong collaboration with state and community partners to close the gap for these women.—
Mary C. Mayhew,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Chicago police said the 27-year-old victim was walking when two armed men approached him.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
These days, living through a presidency marked by narrowness and resentment, the grace, humor, and curiosity with which Barack Obama approached the world feel impossibly distant.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
His book, Mind Odyssey, draws on his experiences across medicine, science, and biotech.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Treatments draw on Ayurvedic principles and Western therapies alike, using natural ingredients, local botanicals and oils, and indulgent aromatherapies.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
In his almost but not quite valedictory acceptance speech, the 80-year-old Lithgow acknowledged that this Tony win, his third, comes 53 years after his first — and feels every bit as satisfying.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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The attack comes amid heightened security around Madison Square Garden, which lies directly above the busy intercity railroad station, where the New York Knicks are hosting the San Antonio Spurs for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Apple stock has neared record highs in recent weeks as investors and analysts approved of a Google AI partnership announced in January and the latest iPhones have shown strong, continuing sales momentum.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
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And San Antonio led by 7-4 Victor Wembanyama, who at 22 is the freaky-tall potential next face of the league as LeBron James finally nears retirement.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Other award shows in the past have tried to come up with bits to keep acceptance speeches from going too long (much to mixed results).—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
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Katz-Mayfield came up with the idea for the startup based on his frustration with the status quo of buying $20 replacement razor blades.—
Amelia Lucas,Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belly up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20up. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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