Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

below the belt

/bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.33 in modern English

Syllables: be-low the -belt
IPA: /bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/

22

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.

prep_phrase

Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.

prep_phrase

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see below, the, belt.

Example Sentences

"Commenting on his bachelorhood in a debate on marital ethics was a bit below the belt, don't you think?"
"Mr. Nixon attacked Mr. [Hubert] Humphrey with gusto, sounding to an unusual degree like Mr. Humphrey attacking Mr. Nixon. He said he knew his opponents were in trouble because “you know politicians are behind when they start to name call, when they start to panic, to hit below the belt.”"
"For quotations using this term, see Citations:below the belt."

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/
British English: /bɪˈləʊ ðiː bɛlt/

Phrases

hit below the belt low blow under one's belt

Frequently Paired Words

low blow under one's belt

Synonyms

unfairly

Questions

How do you pronounce below the belt?: The recorded pronunciation is /bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/.
What does below the belt mean?: Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist.

How to pronounce below the belt

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “below the belt”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “below the belt”.
Repeat and practice — Say “below the belt” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.