Belt — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbelt/

Meaning & Definition of Belt

Belt (noun)

  1. a strip of flexible material worn especially around the waist as an item of clothing or a means of carrying something (such as tools)
  2. a similar article worn as a corset or for protection or safety or as a symbol of distinction
  3. a continuous band of tough flexible material for transmitting motion and power or conveying materials
  4. a jarring blow, whack
  5. drink

Belt (verb)

  1. to encircle or fasten with a belt
  2. to strap on
  3. to beat with or as if with a belt, thrash

Belt (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

    "delivered a shattering belt to the rock with a hammer"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, beat, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse (British), fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup (dialect), lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

  2. the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time

    "he knocked back a belt of whiskey before leaving"

    similar: draft, drag, drink, gulp, nip, quaff, shot, sip, slug, snort, sup, swallow, swig, swill
    related: dram, drop

  3. a strip of flexible material (as leather) worn around the waist

    "a drugstore cowboy who loves his fancily decorated belt"

    similar: ceinture, cincture, cummerbund, girdle, sash, self-belt
    related: band, waistband, circle, loop, ribbon, ring, baldric, bandolier, Sam Browne belt, cestus, obi

  4. a broad geographical area

    "that part of the country is sometimes called the farm belt because of the number of farms there"

    similar: corridor, land, neck, part(s), region, tract, zone
    related: district, domain, latitude(s), range, realm, terrain, territory, neighborhood, vicinity

Belt (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

    "belted the baseball out of the park"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap, hang one on
    related: batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste, lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough, scuff, bunt, flick, stroke, tap, bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp, bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump (slang), fell, floor, knock down, level, rabbit-punch, sucker punch, cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip, bean, brain, conk, skull

  2. to encircle or bind with or as if with a belt

    "belted the little boy's pants tightly so they would stay up"

    similar: band, begird, engird (archaic), engirdle, enwind, gird, girdle, girt, girth, wrap
    related: tie up, truss, circle, enwreathe, loop, wind, wreathe, bandage, enswathe, swathe, chain, cord, enchain, lash, rope, shackle, tape, wire
    opposite: ungird, unwrap
    near: unbind, unlash, unshackle, untie, unwind

  3. to strike repeatedly

    "belted the punching bag relentlessly"

    similar: bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib (British), flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slate, slog, switch, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop, whup, work over, beat up on
    related: assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp, blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap, gore, lacerate, wound, maim, mangle, mutilate

  4. to proceed or move quickly

    "the boy went belting along on his skateboard"

    similar: barrel, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Related Entry: Belt (down) (verb)

Belt (down) is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for belt (down), not for belt.

  1. to swallow in liquid form

    "I belted down a can of soda and rushed back out to the game"

    similar: drink, gulp, guzzle, hoist, imbibe, knock back, pound (down), quaff, sip, slug (down), slurp, sup, swig, swill, toss (down or off)
    related: lap, lick, suck, consume, down, ingurgitate, kill, mouth (down), put away, nip, tipple, pledge, toast, wine

Related Entry: Belt up (verb)

Belt up is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for belt up, not for belt.

  1. to stop talking

    "the schoolboy ordered his mates to belt up about the prank"

    similar: clam up, dry up, dummy up, hush, pipe down, quiet (down), shut up, hold one's tongue
    related: calm (down), cool (down), settle (down), haw, hem
    opposite: speak, talk
    near: pipe up, sound off, speak out, speak up, spout (off), talk up

Related Entry: Belt-tightening (noun)

Belt-tightening is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for belt-tightening, not for belt.

  1. as in pinching, straitening

    similar: pinching, straitening, austerity, deprivation, privation, gutter, misery, woe, wretchedness, exigency, emergency, rainy day, bankruptcy, insolvency, beggary, destituteness, destitution, impecuniosity, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, necessity, need, neediness, pauperism, penuriousness, penury, poorness, poverty, want
    opposite: luxury, prosperity, affluence, opulence, richness, wealth, wealthiness

Related Entry: Belt-tightenings (noun)

Belt-tightenings is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for belt-tightenings, not for belt.

  1. as in economies, frugalities

    similar: conservations, economies, frugalities, parsimonies, penny-pinchings, savings, thrifts, necessities, austerities, moderations, restraints, temperances
    opposite: extravagances, prodigalities, wastes, indulgences, luxuries, splurges, losses, wastages

Related Entry: Self-belt (noun)

Self-belt is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for self-belt, not for belt.

  1. a strip of flexible material (as leather) worn around the waist

    "the self-belt is covered with the same faux suede as the dress"

    similar: belt, ceinture, cincture, cummerbund, girdle, sash
    related: band, waistband, circle, loop, ribbon, ring, baldric, bandolier, Sam Browne belt, cestus, obi

Related Entry: Below the belt (phrase)

Below the belt is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for below the belt, not for belt.

  1. not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport

    "That mean joke really hit below the belt."

    similar: dirty, foul, illegal, nasty, unfair, unsportsmanlike
    related: dishonorable, shabby, shameful, ignoble, low, mean, ungentlemanly, immoral, rotten, unchivalrous, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unscrupulous
    opposite: clean, fair, legal, sportsmanlike, sportsmanly
    near: just, law-abiding, ethical, moral, principled, righteous, scrupulous, honorable, irreproachable, unimpeachable

Related Entry: Sam Browne belt (noun)

Sam Browne belt is a different word from Belt. The synonyms below are for Sam Browne belt, not for belt.

  1. as in bandolier, baldric

    similar: baldric, bandolier, circle, loop, ribbon, ring, cestus, obi, band, waistband, belt, ceinture, cincture, cummerbund, girdle, sash, self-belt

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Belt

The most common words with a similar meaning to Belt:

British: douse, fib
Dialect: larrup
Archaic: engird
Slang: bomb
bang, bash, bat, beat, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Belt

Words with the opposite meaning of Belt:

ungird, unwrap, crawl, creep, poke

Related Words for Belt

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling

Near Antonyms of Belt

unbind, unlash, unshackle, untie, unwind, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Word Forms of Belt

Inflections: belted, belting, belts

Derived words: belted (adjective), beltless (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Belt

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German balz belt; both from Latin balteus belt

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Belt

Words & Phrases Containing Belt

belter, belt-tightening, belt up, asteroid belt, below the belt, Bible Belt, black belt

Frequently Asked Questions about Belt

What does "Belt" mean?

"Belt" means a strip of flexible material worn especially around the waist as an item of clothing or a means of carrying something (such as tools). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a strip of flexible material worn especially around the waist as an item of clothing or a means of carrying something (such as tools). It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Belt"?

Other words for "Belt" include bang, bash, bat, beat, biff, blow, bop and box. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Belt" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Belt"?

There are 358 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Belt". Common alternatives include bang, bash, bat, beat, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet and bust.

What is the opposite of "Belt"?

Antonyms of "Belt" include ungird, unwrap, crawl, creep and poke. Near antonyms include unbind, unlash, unshackle and untie.

How do you use "Belt" in a sentence?

Examples of "Belt" in a sentence: "delivered a shattering belt to the rock with a hammer"; "he knocked back a belt of whiskey before leaving"; "a drugstore cowboy who loves his fancily decorated belt".

Is "Belt" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Belt" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Belt" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Belt" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Belt"?

"Belt" is pronounced /ˈbelt/.