as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
an influential Washington lobbyist who has been involved in a number of backstairs deals to limit regulation of financial institutions
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Recent Examples of backstairs
And in North Carolina, a boyish trial lawyer with jury-pleasing charm (John Edwards) knocked off Lauch Faircloth, a GOP senator who played a backstairs role in getting Kenneth Starr appointed as independent counsel.
—
Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 6 June 2019
Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 6 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstairs
Adjective
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There is a First World War U-boat that somehow glides from underneath Lake Michigan all the way to Croatia, commandeered by its captain, post-Armistice, for new and clandestine uses.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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Co-created by The New York Times bestselling author Carr and season 1 creator and showrunner David DiGilio, Dark Wolf follows Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) on his journey from the SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA special operations.—
Susan Young,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Outside undercover officers stopped a car with two brothers and their parents in it.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
25 Sep. 2025
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Then, on October 16 — a week ahead of the Vikings’ showdown with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football — star wide receiver Jefferson goes undercover as a nature photographer to get the inside scoop on the fast-growing sport of flag football.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.—
Mehera Bonner,
Marie Claire,
15 Mar. 2017
Adjective
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Middle Tennessee's erosion-prone limestone and other hard bedrock have historically precluded Nashville leadership from exploring underground transportation.—
Hadley Hitson,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Sep. 2025
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But Edison’s bulb was just one piece of a much more complicated system that included an efficient dynamo – the powerful machine that generated electricity – plus a network of underground wires and new types of lamps.—
Ernest Freeberg,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Hays arranged a covert meeting with Fitzwater in the courthouse annex.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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In the 1980s, The War on Drugs was in full swing, and the FBI was willing to try risky covert techniques to break up the cartels.—
Greg Hanlon,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of those, four are standalone structures on the water and share a private dock with individual slips for boats 31-feet long.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
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All applicants must be over 18 and able to attend an in-person intensive from May 27th to June 1st, 2026, at a private resort in Lake Arrowhead, California.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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