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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Some may be announced publicly; others may happen in more clandestine ways.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
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But clandestine flows aren’t the biggest factor behind the market calm.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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According to his plea agreement with prosecutors, Doyle sold a Glock pistol to an undercover informant on May 20, 2025 — part of a series of transactions on Chicago’s South Side that led to his arrest on July 7, 2025, a few days after the shooting at his daughter’s party.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
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Whether openly or undercover, MSV doesn’t just fail shareholders.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
21 June 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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Ukrainians say armed formations on both sides, including the UPA and Polish underground forces, were involved in attacks and reprisals that led to large-scale civilian casualties among Poles and Ukrainians.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
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Exciting infrastructure plans are afoot in Europe also, as a number of audacious underground mega tunnels are redrawing the railway map of the continent.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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The film follows cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), who lifts secret files about the existence of aliens from Wardex, a covert non-government organization that used to employ him.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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The investigation also linked the activity to China based on IP addresses associated with a LinkedIn account and a Gmail account tied to the covert recruitment scheme.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The attack struck a private home, an energy infrastructure facility, a hangar, and oil facilities in both the Kyiv and Poltava regions, according to Ukrainian and Russian authorities.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
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The Blue Lagoon purchased the property and began welcoming guests in 2023 across a hotel, a set of private lodges, huts, a hostel, and a campsite.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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