as in off-the-record
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Recent Examples of back-channel
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
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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The goal is to explore the dispute through candid, off-the-record conversation.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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The petition included a series of bombshell claims: In off-the-record comments, Riverside County Superior Court Judge David Downing was recorded on Garcia’s courtroom laptop talking with his clerk about Niroula’s HIV-positive status.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 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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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
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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
Adjective
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In exchange, the agent told the pilot in a clandestine meeting, the aviator would be made a very rich man.—
Joshua Goodman,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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If substantiated, Russia's use of a maritime disaster site for clandestine military purposes represents both a security threat and a sensitive violation of an international agreement aimed at honoring the victims.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Haeckel’s Italian trip was part of a surreptitious alternate life plan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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The Trump administration intensified its scrutiny of Chinese nationals studying at U.S. universities in May following several instances of students allegedly engaging in surreptitious activity, including espionage.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Friday the incident and the recent air incursion linked to Moscow show Kremlin plans for covert and overt attacks against Europe to prepare for a possible NATO-Russia war.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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The device is intended for intelligent underwater detection, real-time environmental monitoring, and potentially covert reconnaissance missions worldwide.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Back-channel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back-channel. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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