underbellies

plural of underbelly
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

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2
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
  • Small cottony clusters may appear on branches, in cracks in the bark, on roots, or on the undersides of leaves.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The photo below also shows the undersides of the top radiator mount and adjustable graphics card retainer, with one of the retainer’s fingers extended.
    Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But over these objections, the school administration, following district protocol, facilitated the sixth grader’s in-school gender transition behind their backs, Foote and Silvestri told the Supreme Court.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
  • But after losing both games at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies' backs were against the wall heading to Los Angeles for Game 3.
    Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Made with a French terry material, the throw-on-and-go bottoms will make a long-haul flight as cozy as possible.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Here the seasonal display sinks riparian roots, fills canyon bottoms and wraps around splashy streams.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Other signs of mold or spoilage include shriveling, leaking juice, soft spots, or an off smell.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2025
  • But Monday night offers an opportunity for the veteran to sit in soft spots and finally give Bo Nix a reliable target in the middle of the field.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
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
  • 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Underbellies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbellies. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

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