underworld
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the secret part of society where people are involved in serious crime and illegal business.
the collective environment of individuals and organisations engaged in professional or organised crime.
Simple“The police spent years trying to find the leaders of the city's criminal underworld.”
In context“Investigative journalists often risk their lives to expose the connections between legitimate businesses and the local criminal underworld.”
Synonymsganglandcriminality - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
in ancient stories, the place under the earth where the spirits of the dead go.
the mythological or religious realm of the dead, typically conceived as being located beneath the surface of the earth.
Simple“In Greek myths, Orpheus traveled to the underworld to bring back his wife.”
In context“The epic poem describes the hero's descent into the underworld to seek guidance from the spirits of his ancestors.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the part of a video game world that is located underground.
the subterranean portion of a game's environment, often featuring distinct mechanics or higher difficulty.
Simple“You need to find a secret tunnel to enter the underworld in this level.”
In context“Players must navigate the treacherous underworld to collect the rare minerals required for high-level crafting.”
Synonymssubterranean level
“Local media linked the incident to the criminal underworld of Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos” (“Fat Jos”).”
“It’s all a grift in some grimy, gaming-adjacent underworld.”
From under- + world.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.