BELLIES Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

bellies 1 of 2

noun

plural of belly

as in stomachs

an enlarged or bulging abdomen worked hard to get rid of his belly in time to attend his class reunion

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as in abdomens

the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis a baby with a round little belly

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as in hearts

the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions in my belly I knew that he wasn't telling the truth, as the details of his story just didn't add up

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bellies

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of belly

as in protrudes

to extend outward beyond a usual point the sails slowly bellied as the wind picked up

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in snakes

to move slowly with the body close to the ground recruits were forced to belly over the obstacle course under simulated enemy fire

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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 bellies

Noun

On a typical day this July, around four Roosevelt impersonators were roaming the streets, identifiable by their mustaches, stout bellies, and dispensing of homespun wisdom. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Diners don’t have to break the bank to fill their bellies, with an average meal for one costing about $18, and dinner for two around $65. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026 In the early days of plane Wi-Fi, aircraft had what were essentially giant mobile hot spots attached to their bellies, which would connect to cell towers on the ground. — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 Proof that the babies aren’t born with hatred in their bellies and in their blood. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 Every day, the snow crept farther down the mountains, and as the horses waded the creeks, ice froze on their tails and bellies. — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 After blinding Polyphemus, the men flee by clinging to the bellies of his monstrous sheep. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 June 2026 While Formula 1 can fly its grid around the world in the bellies of air transporters, the outsized, awkward dimensions of a foiling catamaran hull make aviation a non-starter. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 27 May 2026 All sleek lines of Range Rover perfection, shining like it's been buffed by the soft bellies of kittens. — ABC News, 26 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellies

Noun

Graduate students on Rochman’s team are dissecting fish and finding that manmade bits ingested by some of their catch passed from stomachs into filets.

— Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Even terrestrial animals are not immune; plastic can enter the food chain, and has been found in the stomachs of Arctic wildlife; and plastic is only part of the bigger story.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of stomachs

Noun

In other crashes, the handlebars are driven back into riders’ abdomens, causing severe damage to the liver, spleen and pancreas.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
The magazine’s anatomically graphic photos—rats butchered alive, dogs with their faces sliced open, monkeys screaming at the electrodes implanted in their abdomens—seemed like windows into hell.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of abdomens

Noun

During their careers, Dolly Parton, Lady Gaga, Matt Damon, Ariana Grande and more A-listers have leveraged their fame and fortune for causes close to their hearts.

— Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Her extraordinary talent, generosity, and love for the Volunteer State (the nickname for Tennessee) touched hearts around the world and will continue to inspire generations to come.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of hearts

Verb

Anything that protrudes above the shallow, insulating snow cover is more prone to being damaged by the cold and wind or eaten by wildlife, said plant ecologist Anne Bjorkman of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Other animals on-site include a stable full of horses and Cowboy the tortoise, who is about the size of a lawnmower and whose head protrudes from what looks like a Venus flytrap made of bone.

— Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of protrudes

Verb

The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District.

— Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.

— Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of snakes

Noun

The Looney Tunes animation–live action hybrid film is an inspired David-and-Goliath tale about the overreach and cruelty of corporations in the modern age, and its journey to release is a real-life corollary.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Right now, one of the most critical gaps across corporations is the practical integration of AI.

— Stacy L. Hambleton, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of corporations

Noun

Lots of seemingly brave souls have submitted once activists got their hooks in them.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
That narrow-mindedness is immediately apparent when Nick asks his congregation to help the group of unhoused people, a little over a dozen souls or so, who live in a makeshift camp on the edge of town.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of souls

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bellied up

bellies

bellies up

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Style

“Bellies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellies. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of bellies

noun

verb

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