underbelly
Soft spot beneath
The underbelly is the soft underside of an animal's body—the belly from below.
By extension, it means a vulnerable or unprotected area: the soft underbelly of the enemy's defenses.
The phrase dark underbelly or seamy underbelly refers to the hidden, unpleasant aspects of something outwardly respectable: the underbelly of the fashion industry.
Deficiency in force
- soft spotEmotional vulnerability or fondness
- exposedOut in open
- susceptibilityLiability to influence
- defenselessnessState of being unprotected
fragility · sensitivity · risk · precariousness · unprotected · Achilles heel · liability · danger
Torso's lower cavity
- venterBelly or outspoken person
- plastronVentral shell portion
- undersurfaceBottom side of something
- midsectionCentral body region
stomach · torso · flank · paunch · gut · midriff · ventral · navel
Dishonest abuse of power
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- gangstersOrganized crime members
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
smuggling · racketeering · bribery · extortion · money laundering · cartels · prostitution · vice
Make something visible
- uncoverReveal what's hidden
- exposeMake known publicly
- unveilReveal something hidden
- unmaskReveal true identity
disclose · investigate · probe · journalism · documentary · scandal · secrets · truth
Made invisible deliberately
- secretConcealed information
- unseenNot perceived visually
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
- buriedPlaced beneath earth
underground · covert · clandestine · veiled · shadowy · murky · surreptitious · furtive
Aircraft's central structure
- hullOuter covering or frame
- undercarriageFramework beneath a vehicle
- landing gearAircraft ground support apparatus
- bomb bayAircraft ordnance compartment
cargo hold · airframe · fairing · nacelle · wheel well
weakness
Deficiency in force
- soft spotEmotional vulnerability or fondness
- exposedOut in open
- susceptibilityLiability to influence
defenselessness · fragility · sensitivity · risk · precariousness · unprotected · Achilles heel · liability · danger · peril
abdomen
Torso's lower cavity
- venterBelly or outspoken person
- plastronVentral shell portion
- undersurfaceBottom side of something
midsection · stomach · torso · flank · paunch · gut · midriff · ventral · navel · trunk
corruption
Dishonest abuse of power
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- gangstersOrganized crime members
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
trafficking · smuggling · racketeering · bribery · extortion · money laundering · cartels · prostitution · vice · black market
reveal
Make something visible
unmask · disclose · investigate · probe · journalism · documentary · scandal · secrets · truth · corruption
concealed
Made invisible deliberately
buried · underground · covert · clandestine · veiled · shadowy · murky · surreptitious · furtive · beneath the surface
fuselage
Aircraft's central structure
- hullOuter covering or frame
- undercarriageFramework beneath a vehicle
- landing gearAircraft ground support apparatus
bomb bay · cargo hold · airframe · fairing · nacelle · wheel well
soft
Yielding to touch
yielding · pliant · cushiony · spongy · vulnerable · unarmored · delicate · pliable · doughy · squishy
- animal partsappendage, forelimb, hind leg, hind legs, hindlegs
- dog featuresears, eyes, nose, tail, paws
- body idiomsheart of gold, heart of stone, cold heart, warm heart, soft heart
- reptile anatomyskeleton, bones, lungs, skull, ribs
- underpartsabdomen, bottom, plastron, undertail, coverts
- anatomybrain, heart, bones, liver, stomach
underbellyshell
Hard outer covering
carapace · armor · shield · protective covering · exoskeleton
- soft underbellyUnprotected vulnerable area
- soft underbelliesUnprotected vulnerable points
- dark underbelly