: 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
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.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-the-books was in 1975

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off-the-books.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-the-books. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on off-the-books

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!