1
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the sails slowly bellied as the wind picked up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in creeping
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellying
Verb
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That combination of features — translucent body, segmented frame, protruding teeth, up to 11 claws and enlarged thoracic spines — made the organism distinct enough to warrant an entirely new genus.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026 -
Around the side, the former casino facade is now the front of Joe Leaphorn’s workplace, the Kayenta tribal police station, complete with protruding wood beams.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Martha felt a creeping boredom in the long hours when nothing at all happened.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
-
American co-pro money has slowly been creeping back into the market and Salt comes bearing receipts.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It’s also built specifically for down jackets to keep the fill from poking through.—
Maggie Slepian,
Outside,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Coogan was poking fun at tech companies’ impulse to name themselves after myths and parables, even when those myths and cultural artifacts have negative associations.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Two super-steep slopes where a fall could result in sliding — or tumbling — hundreds of feet.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
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Buyers at Gatherpoint can personalize their homes to their preferences with options for extending patios, lanais and garages, enclosing flex rooms and expanding indoor-outdoor connections with pocketing or zero-corner sliding glass doors.—
Pulte Homes,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fire department has advised residents to look for signs that their properties may have been damaged or are at risk of collapse, such as cracks in bulging walls, fissures and stuck doors and windows.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
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The kids froze mid-mouthful, eyes bulging in horror at the thought of having to witness such a thing in the company of their parents.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hundreds of millions of Chinese travellers embarked on the world’s largest annual migration, snaking across the country’s mammoth rail network to take part in Lunar New Year celebrations.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
17 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, Moscow escalated its attacks on Ukraine's power grid in an apparent effort to deny civilians power and to weaken public support for the war, while hostilities continued along the roughly 600-mile front line snaking through eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Galahadosuchus represents one of the early ancestors of that lineage, and the evolutionary path from upright sprinter to belly-crawling ambush predator is a long one.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
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But Baba’s streets were crawling with ICE proxies during his entire childhood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bellying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellying. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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