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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The documentary is built around the investigative work of journalists Katya Hakim and Denis Korotkov who picked up the mantle from three colleagues who were brutally slain while looking into Wagner’s clandestine activities in Africa.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
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On this occasion in 2018, Rodriguez and others in the group had received an anonymous tip of a possible clandestine cemetery on the outskirts of Cordoba.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Herlihy goes undercover as Jost, even appearing on the Late Night with Seth Meyers show.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Mar. 2026
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Nick warned Mindi that an undercover team disguised as tree surgeons were planting surveillance cameras around their house.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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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Degrading Iran’s war machine The larger munitions would have likely been used to penetrate underground facilities, destroy missile launch bunkers, and collapse tunnels or storage depots.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
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These natural gems give a glimpse into the Floridan aquifer, a system of porous limestone that forms underground caves and rivers, pushing water up through vents and ultimately flowing into the faucets of millions of Sunshine State residents.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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None could tame its political furies; its covert operations, which killed more than a thousand Americans in Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan; or its expansion, through the creation of like-minded extremist movements, across the Middle East.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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Minneapolis psychologist Lucy Olson helped organize a covert grassroots network that swelled to 2,000 volunteers assisting around 500 immigrant families with legal matters, shelter, food and rent assistance.—
Steve Karnowski,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Laura Hyatt, director of the presenting nonprofit organization Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), said roughly half of the funding for the project came from the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, with the rest raised from other foundations and private donors.—
Jane Horowitz,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Take a long walk without earbuds and clear a corner for reflection today, because insight blooms when your mind feels unhurried and private.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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