behind closed doors

idiom

: in a private room or place : in private
All of their meetings are held behind closed doors.
They seemed like the perfect couple, but you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
The decisions are made behind closed doors.

Examples of behind closed doors in a Sentence

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Any discussions about the accords are likely to happen behind closed doors, Ross said. Tamara Keith, NPR, 10 May 2025 This three-year conclave led the new Pope, Gregory X, to declare in 1274 that future conclaves must be held behind closed doors, with no contact between cardinals and the outside. Callum Sutherland, Time, 8 May 2025 Despite the procedural formalities and global anticipation, the conclave remains one of the most unpredictable events in the Catholic Church—where unity, divine guidance, and human politics intersect behind closed doors. Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025 Although the conclave itself takes place behind closed doors, after each vote, smoke is sent up a chimney in the Sistine Chapel, which gives the public an update on the proceedings. Maria Pasquini, People.com, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for behind closed doors

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Cite this Entry

“Behind closed doors.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20closed%20doors. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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