as in abysses
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream
a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of underworlds
When the gang comes to the attention of Major Chester Campbell, a DCI in the Royal Irish Constabulary, the wheels are set in motion for adventures through the dangerous underworlds of early 20th-century Britain.
—
Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underworlds
Noun
-
Jean-Pierre is an artifact of an age that looks recent on paper but feels prehistoric in practice—the age of pantsuits, the word ’empowerment,’ the musical Hamilton, the cheap therapeutic entreaties to ‘work on yourself’ and ‘lean in’ to various corporate abysses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
-
On the other side of the country, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a longtime reader favorite, is a warm alternative to sterile airport abysses.—
Hannah Towey,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Maurizio Cattelan, who also wielded a banana with profound memetic effectiveness, is one of the few other artists whose work has this kind of stickiness, but his recent sculptures have leaned more on the public’s appetite for stunts, whereas Rødland plumbs more mysterious depths.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Sun-chasers need not look far to christen their own spot on the shore, while divers plumb the depths to investigate a multitude of undersea wonders in this world-class diving destination.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underworlds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underworlds. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
