backstairs

adjective

ˈbak-ˌsterz How to pronounce backstairs (audio)
Definition of backstairsnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstairs
  1. clandestine
  2. undercover
  3. sneak
  4. underground
  5. covert
  6. private
Adjective
  • Attorney Cynthia Jennings, who spoke at a press conference called several days after the police were at the treasurer’s office, had condemned social media speculation about Sierra’s action and the claims of clandestine shredding of documents.
    — Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
  • That the actual, original Antifa formed in clandestine resistance to Nazi terror during the early 1930s appears lost amid the rhetorical vagaries of political propaganda.
    — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • The complaint was the result of a months-long investigation in which undercover operators posed as prospective tenants and recorded phone calls with Greystar employees to test their compliance with the law.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • The Chicago Police Department also carries out undercover stings at small massage parlors after the city receives complaints of vice activity.
    — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of sneak
Adjective
  • Earlier this month a pastor who founded one of China’s most prominent underground churches was released from prison and reunited with his family in the United States after being detained in a crackdown in China last year.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Over several decades, Tehran has developed a network of fortified bases, underground storage complexes, mobile launch systems, and layered defenses intended to make its missile force difficult to locate and destroy.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Definition of underground
Adjective
  • These functions can be critical in various applications and scenarios, such as inspections, covert surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, disaster monitoring, and agricultural pest tracking.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • Although, with words like emergency and bunker—the skeptics have made routine election work seem like a covert-ops thriller.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • The aircraft is operated by the private charter division of Qatar Airways, a World Cup sponsor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • In South Korea, almost eighty per cent of children regularly attend a hagwon—a private-tutoring center that supplements their schooling and prepares them for tests—which means that many kids are spending up to twelve hours a day in a classroom.
    — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Definition of private

Browse Nearby Words

backstage
backstairs
backstop
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All