bellying

verb

Definition of bellyingnext
present participle of belly
1
as in protruding
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 creeping
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellying
  1. protruding
  2. creeping
  3. poking
Verb
  • While tending to their garden this fall, homeowners in upstate New York spotted what appeared to be two giant teeth protruding from the soil, partially concealed by plant fronds.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
  • According to the news release, the mastodon jaw was found protruding from the topsoil, which caught the homeowner's attention.
    Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of protruding
Verb
  • Invasive plants also spread quickly in multiple ways, such as by seeds, creeping stems and roots, or fruits eaten by birds and dropped elsewhere.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Another sign of creeping fatigue?
    Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Definition of creeping
Verb
  • Carter first saw the disease up close in 1988 while visiting a village in Ghana where nearly 350 people had worms poking through their skin.
    Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
  • At its most basic, a poke cake is made by poking holes into a warm cake and pouring on a frosting or filling mixture.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of poking
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near bellying

bellyfuls

bellying

bellying up

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Cite this Entry

“Bellying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellying. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bellying

Nglish: Translation of bellying for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of bellying for Arabic Speakers

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