1
as in underworld
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 underside
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 back
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
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Recent Examples of underbelly
The new episodes will focus on the search for a missing Navajo girl, taking us from the reservation into the gritty underbelly of ‘70s Los Angeles.
—
Lucy Ford, Time, 27 Dec. 2025
Their peers with their pockets full of tiny screens provide a direct and intimate connection to the very underbelly of the human experience.
—Jessica Shyba, SELF, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s a soft underbelly to the Best Picture ten this year, just waiting for someone to exploit.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Opponents will continue to attack the soft underbelly of this defense until Tonga and Williams return.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Lucy Ford, Time, 27 Dec. 2025
Their peers with their pockets full of tiny screens provide a direct and intimate connection to the very underbelly of the human experience.
—Jessica Shyba, SELF, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s a soft underbelly to the Best Picture ten this year, just waiting for someone to exploit.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Opponents will continue to attack the soft underbelly of this defense until Tonga and Williams return.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
-
Fame and fortune beckon, but soon their newfound celebrity status attracts attention from the criminal underworld.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Their rapid ascent to fame and fortune at first seems like a dream come true, but soon their celebrity attracts attention from Almaty’s criminal underworld, and their scheme spins dangerously out of control.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Float kits and ski kits can also be fitted to the aircraft’s underside to enable landings on water and snowy terrain.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Place chicken, skin sides down, in skillet; cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned on underside, 5 to 8 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Over his 12-year NFL career, Mathieu became regarded as one of the league's premier defensive backs.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Multiple videos that emerged of the shooting contradicted that claim, showing the intensive care nurse had only his mobile phone in his hand as officers tackled him to the ground, with one removing a handgun from the back of Pretti's pants as another officer began firing shots into his back.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Warming up meals in a toaster oven likewise results in uneven heating, with the top portion getting dried or burnt and the middle part ending up lukewarm if the element is located on the top – the reverse is true if the element is on the bottom.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
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This petite, chic travel jewelry case keeps necklaces untangled, prevents rings from drifting to the bottom of her carry-on, and secures earring posts from bending or breaking.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The former wins in the history books, but lots of fans have a soft spot for the latter.—
Juan J. Arroyo,
Rolling Stone,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Southerners will always have a soft spot for King’s Hawaiian Rolls, and one visit to a church supper is proof.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The actress manages to pull this off with subtlety and grace in a movie that could have easily gone straight for the emotional jugular.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Two months before Twilight kicked off the glittery vampire craze, Alan Ball’s True Blood had already put an original, sexy spin on the jugular-draining genre.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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