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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In the bathroom, a chemical meant to make trace blood more visible reacted in the sink and the bathtub, while a visible bloodstain was found under the protruding edge of a vanity, Hooks said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026 -
In the video, large swaths of brown earth can be seen protruding patches of mountain snow.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The technology is sweeping almost every profession while also creeping into people’s personal lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Her works explored Oedipal urges and creeping fascism.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Upon the umpteenth retelling, Jules (Jeff Wilbusch)—who witnessed the gory death of Rachel’s mother (Victoria Pedretti) as a little boy and therefore wholeheartedly believes in the curse—begins poking holes in the story.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
2 Apr. 2026
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While the 1930s and 1940s did see some instances of carnival poking fun at the tyranny of the Nazi regime (none of which, it should be noted, went unpunished), Birdsall and other scholars maintain that the festival was, first and foremost, an avenue for propaganda.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Attempts to resolve ecological responsibility through strict localism often risk sliding into cultural provincialism or nationalist enclosure—fantasies of purity that ignore how deeply entangled our lives already are.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Tar Heel pipeline isn’t exactly bulging with the kind of coach the UNC job could attract.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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Penn’s curdled facial expressions, sever buzzcut and bulging biceps morphed him into a cruel lethal weapon, but that performance — like Taylor’s — stayed stuck in the same groove throughout.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Travelers waiting hours stuck in lines snaking through baggage claim and outside the terminal building have been featured on television and splashed across the internet.—
Emma Hurt,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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They have been seen directing snaking security lines and passing out water bottles to tired travelers.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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One provider recommended a different formula, but Laura responded that her son was burning calories by kicking in his bed, crawling and wheeling around in his wheelchair.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bellying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellying. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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