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
  • The semiaquatic predator’s eyes would have also protruded from the skull, similar to the Indian gharial, because the eye sockets were raised like a telescope, Burke added.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The stranger’s hollow cheeks, his dark eyes, whose lashes always appeared wet, the bony shoulders that protruded from the singlet Chee Meng had lent him—all of it frightened Shawn.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of protruded
Verb
  • Giamanco crawled in through a shot-out window, reached the special education classroom and reracked his firearm in preparation for a deadly confrontation.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In May 2025, after Williams shut off the water in a cell, 10 inmates removed a toilet, crawled through a gap in the wall and scaled a fence out of the jail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of crawled
Verb
  • Kessler, standing nearby during Williams’ postgame news conference, poked his head out from behind a black curtain and gave his teammate a thumbs-up.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Already poked, the league bear hasn’t exactly gone into hibernation, either.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of poked
Verb
  • By spring, with the opportunity fading for a mass relocation of homes and businesses, optimism crept back into public discourse.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Europe has crept back on the scene in a real negative way, this time with France on the hot seat.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of crept
Verb
  • By later in the day, the second lake had bulged — sparking fears of another lethal torrent.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of bulged
Verb
  • Deckers Outdoor – Shares of the footwear maker slid about 8% after its revenue for the fiscal second quarter missed analyst expectations.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Stocks slid sharply on Thursday amid mounting concerns over whether massive investments in artificial intelligence will pay off and high oil prices.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of slid
Verb
  • Long lines of vehicles snaked outside gas stations across Indonesia’s resort island of Bali this week after fuel deliveries were disrupted by a combination of technical problems, bad weather and surging demand, officials said Wednesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • At Yohji Yamamoto, a long strand of eyelashes cascaded down from a model’s lower eyelid and snaked against her face.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of snaked
Verb
  • Python, in particular, slithered into several of our favorite looks, as seen on this showgoer with a distressed leather jacket, croc-effect leather skirt, and roomy Miu Miu tote.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Saint Laurent‘s shining gold shoes slithered down the spring 2027 runway on Tuesday to become the talk of Paris Fashion Week, with sculptural snake heels among the collection’s standout footwear.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of slithered

Browse Nearby Words

bellicosity
bellied
bellied up
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Cite this Entry

“Bellied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellied. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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