as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
an influential Washington lobbyist who has been involved in a number of backstairs deals to limit regulation of financial institutions
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Recent Examples of backstairs
And in North Carolina, a boyish trial lawyer with jury-pleasing charm (John Edwards) knocked off Lauch Faircloth, a GOP senator who played a backstairs role in getting Kenneth Starr appointed as independent counsel.
—
Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 6 June 2019
Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 6 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstairs
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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Patrons helped lure her outside so undercover officers could move in, per the outlet.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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She's tasked with a dangerous mission for Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service (PET) that involves going undercover to get close to Ashley (Maria Cordsen), the glamorous gal pal of a drug lord, Miran (Afshin Firouzi).—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.—
Mehera Bonner,
Marie Claire,
15 Mar. 2017
Adjective
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At the very end of the movie, Bigelow captures a variety of government officials funneling into Raven Rock Mountain Complex, otherwise known as Site R, a military installation with an underground nuclear bunker near Blue Ridge, Pa.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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While tectonic activity is the leading cause, earthquakes can also result from volcanic eruptions, underground explosions, and human activities like mining or large-scale construction.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 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
Adjective
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By Fortune’s estimates, drawn from industry data, the value of all direct deals, using the broad definition of single investments in private companies, will explode to something like $200 billion this year, multiple the number several years ago.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
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Razer went public in 2017, listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange, before going private again in 2022.—
Lucy Handley,
CNBC,
1 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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