as in abyss
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream
a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people
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Recent Examples of underworld
After years of staying ahead of the law and navigating the complex alliances of the city’s underworld, Polly had closed shop and decided to try her hand at writing.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Children over eight years old can take their first dip into the marine underworld with a PADI Bubblemaker scuba course, while other options for young outdoor enthusiasts include canoeing, horse-riding, and tennis coaching.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
Dhurandhar, which follows an Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistan’s underworld to dismantle terror networks, was not cleared for release, The National reported.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Kuang consults everything from Dante’s Inferno to mind-bending logic concepts like the impossible Penrose stairs to create the landscape and mechanics of her underworld.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underworld
Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Children over eight years old can take their first dip into the marine underworld with a PADI Bubblemaker scuba course, while other options for young outdoor enthusiasts include canoeing, horse-riding, and tennis coaching.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
Dhurandhar, which follows an Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistan’s underworld to dismantle terror networks, was not cleared for release, The National reported.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Kuang consults everything from Dante’s Inferno to mind-bending logic concepts like the impossible Penrose stairs to create the landscape and mechanics of her underworld.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underworld
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underworld
Noun
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Darnold, still just 28, is back from the abyss and ascending.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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An existentialist peers into the abyss and feels a shiver of possibility, the freedom to be anything.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Girand’s journey into this netherworld was sparked by neighborhood chaos and an attempt to understand what was happening.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
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Nicole finds herself in an all too familiar place for those who have experienced the early phase of young-onset neurological disease, a netherworld between acceptance and denial.—
Gus Alexiou,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
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In a recent interview, Fennell described the film’s restraint as an acknowledgment that her interpretation could never capture the depths of Brontë’s masterwork.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
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The biggest crude oil tankers, VLCCs—yes, they’re called Very Large Crude Carriers—either couldn’t dock or fill up all the way at Texas ports because of the shallower water depths.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Often considered the most scathing film ever made about the movie industry, The Day of the Locust is an adaptation of Nathanael West’s celebrated novel about a down-and-out artist turned set painter and the Los Angeles demimonde during the Great Depression.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
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One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underworld.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underworld. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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