behind the scenes
1 of 2phrase
1
: out of public view
also
: in secret
2
: in a position to see the hidden workings
… taken behind the scenes and told just how in fact the actual government … has operated …—
William Clark
William Clark
be·hind-the-scenes
bi-ˈhīnd-ṯẖə-ˈsēnz 
bē-
1
: being or working out of public view or in secret
behind-the-scenes lobbying for more money
a behind-the-scenes player
2
: revealing or reporting the hidden workings
a behind-the-scenes account
a behind-the-scenes glimpse
Examples of behind the scenes in a Sentence
Adjective
a tell-all book about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that got him the vice presidential nomination
behind-the-scenes negotiations that resulted in the hostages being released unharmed
Recent Examples on the Web
Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Their behind-the-scenes sixth member, co-founder and producer Ben Bram, wrote ever-more spectacular vocal arrangements.
—David Pogue, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
The ones who watch the team’s social media accounts for behind-the-scenes clips of the players or tune in to the games for a look at the WAGs (wives and girlfriends, including one famous showgirl) cheering from the sidelines.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Dec. 2025
Inside Look stories give Star-Telegram subscribers exclusive sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes reporting.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for behind the scenes
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Adjective
Frankel gave a behind-the-scenes look at the family event on Instagram, sharing a video of the twins meeting the two cartoon characters.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Their behind-the-scenes sixth member, co-founder and producer Ben Bram, wrote ever-more spectacular vocal arrangements.
—David Pogue, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
The ones who watch the team’s social media accounts for behind-the-scenes clips of the players or tune in to the games for a look at the WAGs (wives and girlfriends, including one famous showgirl) cheering from the sidelines.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Dec. 2025
Inside Look stories give Star-Telegram subscribers exclusive sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes reporting.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for behind the scenes
Cite this Entry
“Behind the scenes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20the%20scenes. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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