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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But have they always been convinced the members of those bands are in clandestine relationships with each other?—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
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Nearly a quarter of the trips were to Canada, where LAPD personnel went to learn about best practices in investigating human trafficking and clandestine drug labs.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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He was arrested twice more, finally for selling $9,500 worth of heroin to two undercover officers at a bar in 1992.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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According to authorities, a police officer in New Albany, Ohio, was conducting an undercover operation in June 2022 when multiple people were found to be posting child pornography in a private group chat on the Kik mobile messenger app.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
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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View gallery - 3 images Over the last few years, an ambitious moonshot project spun out of Google has been developing fascinating technologies to deliver connectivity across communities without the need for underground cables.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
28 Feb. 2026
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The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management is building an underground vault with a park on top to improve stormwater management, enhance drainage, and reduce flooding and sewer overflow that have historically affected the area.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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BlueWhale was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to support the German Navy in unmanned antisubmarine warfare and covert maritime operations.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
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Clark is accused of setting up a covert video-recording device, disguised in a ballpoint pen, in the bathroom of a residence, using it to capture intimate footage of people, including minors, according to the case affidavit of probable cause.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hillary Clinton has been especially vocal in calling for the proceedings to happen in public, rather than in private as Comer currently plans.—
STEVEN SLOAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
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In exchange for debt proceeds, the trustee — Wells Fargo — agrees to issue certificates of participation to private investors, the lawsuit states.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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