underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbe-lē 
1
: a vulnerable area
also
: a corrupt or sordid part
probing the underbelly of the entertainment industry
2
: the underside of a body or mass
Examples of underbelly in a Sentence
They exposed the underbelly of the nation's economic policy.
the sordid underbelly of city life
Recent Examples on the Web
Stories that explore the underbelly of this incredibly complex city.
—
Angel Saunders, People.com, 19 May 2025
The material is applied in small sections across the underbelly, and each section can be removed for maintenance and repairs.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 May 2025
The Kremlin correctly views the western Balkans as the soft underbelly of the continent, with Bosnia and Herzegovina as the central battleground for destabilizing European security and obstructing Euro-Atlantic integration.
—Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
Yet all the eerie soundscapes and rabbit-hole mysteries and exposed underbellies wouldn’t amount to a Lynchian text without the surplus of feeling that characterizes, say, Laura’s heartbreaking recognition of her abuser, in Fire Walk With Me.
—K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
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Angel Saunders, People.com, 19 May 2025
The material is applied in small sections across the underbelly, and each section can be removed for maintenance and repairs.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 May 2025
The Kremlin correctly views the western Balkans as the soft underbelly of the continent, with Bosnia and Herzegovina as the central battleground for destabilizing European security and obstructing Euro-Atlantic integration.
—Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
Yet all the eerie soundscapes and rabbit-hole mysteries and exposed underbellies wouldn’t amount to a Lynchian text without the surplus of feeling that characterizes, say, Laura’s heartbreaking recognition of her abuser, in Fire Walk With Me.
—K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underbelly. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbel-ē
: the underpart of a body or mass
the underbelly of a bomber
also
: an area open to attack or damage
the army's underbelly
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