as in off-the-record
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Recent Examples of back-channel
Both the president’s team and the rule-of-law defenders launched back-channel negotiations with the capitalists.
—
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Oman played an instrumental role in the back-channel negotiations between Iran, the United States, and Europe that led to the Iran nuclear deal in 2015.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Pras was also accused of using this money to create a back-channel campaign to extradite the Chinese dissident Guo Wengui back to China from the United States.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Nov. 2025
While the university has focussed on back-channel diplomacy, Maine’s Democratic government has gone to court.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The summit marked the culmination of several months of back-channel diplomacy.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Oman played an instrumental role in the back-channel negotiations between Iran, the United States, and Europe that led to the Iran nuclear deal in 2015.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Pras was also accused of using this money to create a back-channel campaign to extradite the Chinese dissident Guo Wengui back to China from the United States.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Nov. 2025
While the university has focussed on back-channel diplomacy, Maine’s Democratic government has gone to court.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The summit marked the culmination of several months of back-channel diplomacy.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back-channel
Adjective
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Sometimes these occur during our quarterly CEO forums, in public but off-the-record exchanges.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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Puck promises off-the-record conversations with editors in their top subscription tier, and Lauren Sherman often recaps her off-the-record dinners on her podcast and in her column.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Rubio, who is also Trump’s national security adviser, was one of three U.S. officials to participate in a closed-door meeting with the Russian delegation on Friday in Alaska.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
20 Aug. 2025
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The revelation was made by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) after Barr testified in a closed-door interview during the House Oversight Committee’s investigation of the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s case.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In 1985, Marty McFly (played by Lucas Hallauer) is a skateboarding high schooler who is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time machine — ensconced in a DeLorean sports car — by nutty off-the-books scientist Doc Brown (David Josefsberg).—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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The eponymous security droid protagonist (played by Alexander Skarsgård) actually chose its own name and, thanks to some off-the-books hacking, developed free will.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Ortiz said Rodríguez Torres went further by overseeing the creation of clandestine detention facilities.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Yes, its signage and entryway are on the clandestine side.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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None was required for that surreptitious exchange– two dollars for a warm burrito neatly wrapped.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
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That surreptitious tally of deaths recorded by hospitals stood at 30,304 as of Friday, according to Dr. Amir Parasta, a German-Iranian eye surgeon who prepared a report of the data.—
Kay Armin Serjoie,
Time,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The historic Vietnamese revolutionary Ho Chi Minh is said to have used the hotel as a covert meeting spot during the First Indochina War.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
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What else is going on A Southern California man was sentenced to four years in prison for acting as a covert Chinese agent while helping elect an Arcadia City Council member.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back-channel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back-channel. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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