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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Treasury also sanctioned associates, companies and vessels allegedly involved in a network used by Maduro’s former oil minister, Tareck El Aissami, to evade sanctions and resell Venezuelan crude through clandestine channels.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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Earlier this month, state officials reported dismantling a clandestine drug laboratory located south of Ensenada, marking the ninth such laboratory shut down by authorities in the span of a year.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan article, the limited series follows an undercover investigator, played by Chastain, who infiltrates domestic extremist groups to thwart catastrophic large-scale attacks.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
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The measure would allow some exemptions, including for officers involved in undercover operations and SWAT duties or who are wearing religious garb.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
11 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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The district has 56 poles and 7,500 linear feet of overhead conversion to 11,165 linear feet of underground trench spanning 227 properties, according to a council agenda report.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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There are more than 150 miles of tunnels across nine underground levels, and guests are encouraged to lick the walls.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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My mornings have now turned into a covert tactical operation.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
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How Jacob Monroe became a tragic figure In some ways, the President’s downfall can be traced back to Jacob’s decades-long obsession with Raul Zapata, a Mexican businessman and the covert leader of the LFS terrorist organization.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The exhibit features 200 artworks, some certified originals lent by private collectors and the rest are replicas.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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Public safety, like infrastructure, exists because communities pool resources to provide services the private market often cannot deliver equitably.—
Lisa Mallozzi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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