bellied

verb

Definition of belliednext
past tense of belly
1
as in protruded
to extend outward beyond a usual point the sails slowly bellied as the wind picked up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crawled
to move slowly with the body close to the ground recruits were forced to belly over the obstacle course under simulated enemy fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bellied Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens behind the bar and actor Hugh Jackman bellied, err abs-ed, up to it. — Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellied
  1. protruded
  2. crawled
  3. poked
  4. crept
  5. bulged
  6. slid
  7. snaked
  8. slithered
Verb
  • In several looks, the hips protruded impressively outward, but the silhouette appeared more subtle and somewhat suitable for everyday wear in the label’s delicate camisole tops.
    — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026
  • The skinny braids wrapped the bottom of the bun, while the thicker braids dressed the top, forming a cylinder shape that protruded from the crown of her head.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Definition of protruded
Verb
  • One roach crawled on glassware in the dishwashing area and eight were under the dishwasher.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The mural is as if the octopus crawled out of the large vase filled with water and flowers and is helping to feed the birds.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawled
Verb
  • Better together Industry analysts, experts and insiders have consistently poked holes in the states' argument that the combination of TV networks would create antitrust issues.
    — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • So too were the buildings, including my hotel, which poked through the seven-foot-high snowbanks, looking like an ancient shipwreck covered in shifting sand.
    — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of poked
Verb
  • Tech has crept into every facet of everyday life, like an invisible fog of ones and zeros.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The height of this strategy shift was the Sneak Attack by Roger (SABR), in which Federer crept forward to return opponent’s serves almost on the half volley, shortening points and taking away time from his opponent.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of crept
Verb
  • My husband Grant Wahl's bulged and burst, at an age when this disease usually means something inherited.
    — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • That ball found the head of Jude Bellingham, whose diving header bulged the net and opened the scoring.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of bulged
Verb
  • The debris avalanche, or landslide, slid down 6,000 feet on the slope, the USGS said.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Autodesk – The maker of 3D design software slid 5% after its earnings projections disappointed Wall Street.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of slid
Verb
  • At the Meijer gas station in Highland, several lines snaked through the parking lot and onto the main road on Wednesday.
    — Sara Machi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Here, too, there were echoes of Keegan’s blissful early days, when queues snaked outside the stadium hours before kick-off and every victory felt like alchemy.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of snaked
Verb
  • The snake, later identified as an approximately eight-foot-long Burmese python, had slithered beneath the floor of a wooden shed.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Laura stepped right into her body, felt a small resistance and then the give as the rival slithered, eagerly, into the air.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of slithered

Browse Nearby Words

bellicosity
bellied
bellied up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bellied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellied. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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