underworld
noun
un·der·world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld 
1
: the place of departed souls : hades
2
archaic : earth
3
: the side of the earth opposite to one : antipodes
4
: a social sphere below the level of ordinary life
the town's seedy underworld
especially : the world of organized crime
Synonyms
- demimonde
- demiworld
- half-world
- netherworld
- underbelly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people
Recent Examples on the Web Or rather, a portal to the underworld is found outside Chicago. 
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022 He was convicted after a sensational, months-long trial in Boston that laid out, in detail, how the Irish mob boss from South Boston arranged a deal with corrupt FBI agents that guaranteed his rise to top of the New England underworld. Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2022 But this 3-season Netflix series, the streamer’s first Italian-language original show, more than capably stands on its own and gives viewers a gritty look at the Rome underworld. Andy Meek, BGR, 26 July 2022 Entry to the cybercriminal underworld can occur quickly, given the right set of circumstances. Catherine Stupp, WSJ, 14 July 2022 Newman and Hanks are two generations of old guard, larger-than-life figures whose names seem to echo all around the movie's underworld. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 12 July 2022 First introduced in season 2 as Polly’s lost son—and not as any kind of player in the Birmingham underworld—Michael has recently gone Corleone. Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 9 June 2022 The Lord of Hell (Ellis) leaves the underworld to own a nightclub in the City of Angels and winds up helping L.A. homicide detective Chloe Decker (German) solve crimes in this supernatural drama series. Kristina Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022 The Hopi people believe that the canyon is a passage to the underworld, a place made sacred by its proximity to death — a warning not always heeded by the nearly five million annual visitors to the park. New York Times, 12 May 2022 See More
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022 He was convicted after a sensational, months-long trial in Boston that laid out, in detail, how the Irish mob boss from South Boston arranged a deal with corrupt FBI agents that guaranteed his rise to top of the New England underworld. Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2022 But this 3-season Netflix series, the streamer’s first Italian-language original show, more than capably stands on its own and gives viewers a gritty look at the Rome underworld. Andy Meek, BGR, 26 July 2022 Entry to the cybercriminal underworld can occur quickly, given the right set of circumstances. Catherine Stupp, WSJ, 14 July 2022 Newman and Hanks are two generations of old guard, larger-than-life figures whose names seem to echo all around the movie's underworld. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 12 July 2022 First introduced in season 2 as Polly’s lost son—and not as any kind of player in the Birmingham underworld—Michael has recently gone Corleone. Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 9 June 2022 The Lord of Hell (Ellis) leaves the underworld to own a nightclub in the City of Angels and winds up helping L.A. homicide detective Chloe Decker (German) solve crimes in this supernatural drama series. Kristina Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022 The Hopi people believe that the canyon is a passage to the underworld, a place made sacred by its proximity to death — a warning not always heeded by the nearly five million annual visitors to the park. New York Times, 12 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing underworld
Kids Definition
underworld
noun
un·der·world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld
: the world of crime
underworld
noun
as in netherworld
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- netherworld
- abyss
- demimonde
- depths
- half-world
- underbelly
- demiworld