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

Examples of underworld in a Sentence

a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people

Recent Examples on the Web

As the master of Castellane’s criminal underworld, the fate of many people including our heroes — Kel and Lin — depend on how and whether the Ragpicker King asserts his power. —EW.com, 20 June 2024

Through his physical and metaphorical lens, viewers can peer into the Vandals' violent underworld. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 18 June 2024

After meeting and falling for Kathy (Comer), Benny must choose between her or the Vandals, who descend further and further into a violent underworld. —Julia Teti, WWD, 18 June 2024

Anxious wannabe-tough guys argue over inane minutiae while fumbling their way through the criminal underworld. —Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 13 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing underworld

• the underworld

Kids Definition

underworld

noun

un·​der·​world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld 

1

: the place of the souls of the dead

2

: the side of the earth opposite to one

3

: the world of organized crime