1
as in underworlds
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream
unable to get work in mainstream films, the actor ended up in Hollywood's underbelly—the porn industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in undersides
the side or part facing downward from something
the underbelly of the old submarine is in bad shape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in backs
a vulnerable point
the vast, thinly guarded southern border was obviously the underbelly of the nation's line of defense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbellies
Noun
-
For Aronofsky, the city’s ethnic blend has no special claim on virtue; there seem to be as many criminal underworlds as there are demographic groups.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Spray on plants, focusing on the undersides of the leaves.—
Jon VanZile,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
-
To inspect for pests, look on the undersides of leaves, on leaf joints, and in areas of new growth.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The medley for winter-weary Americans has included everything from aching backs from shoveling to sore throats to frozen noses.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The Bulls had their backs against a wall.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Earlier this week, Martha Stewart gave the trending bottoms her stamp of approval, too.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For his brand, bottoms continue to be extremely strong sellers, along with shirt jackets and sweaters as well as corduroy and flannel shirts, many in pop colors.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Look for firm mushrooms that are free of soft spots or mold.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady, now, is poised to once again exploit the Broncos’ soft spots.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Once Woll’s bratty vamp was through draining jugulars, the actress found a second signature role as Karen Page on Marvel’s Daredevil (2015–2018).—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Does the bazaar allow for chinks in the kind of class barriers that would usually exist?—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
23 Nov. 2025
-
But after the break, the Americans started to find some chinks in the English armour.—
Peter Carline,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Underbellies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbellies. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
