off-the-books
adjective
: not reported or recorded
off-the-books transactions
off-the-books covert operations
off the books
adverb
Examples of off-the-books in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott got his first paying job at age 11, an off-the-books gig at A Bicycle Odyssey, a bike shop in Sausalito, California, frequented by the likes of Robin Williams, members of the band The Grateful Dead and Huey Lewis.
—
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
In the 2021 film, Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) stars as Hutch Mansell, a by-the-numbers working stiff who harbors a secret past as an off-the-books government assassin.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Over the years, law enforcement officers have responded to dozens of calls to these casinos for crimes more violent than off-the-books gambling.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
Charges were dropped Tuesday against the one-time manager of a former off-the-books Gary strip club after the man died, filings show.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-the-books
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.
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
In the 2021 film, Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) stars as Hutch Mansell, a by-the-numbers working stiff who harbors a secret past as an off-the-books government assassin.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Over the years, law enforcement officers have responded to dozens of calls to these casinos for crimes more violent than off-the-books gambling.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
Charges were dropped Tuesday against the one-time manager of a former off-the-books Gary strip club after the man died, filings show.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-the-books
Cite this Entry
“Off-the-books.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-the-books. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share