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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American veterans and others have traveled to smaller, clandestine clinics for treatment to deal with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
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Gi-hun, who’d found his way back in the clandestine gaming complex (situated inside a mountain on a remote island), is Player 456 again among a new round of contestants.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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On June 24, undercover agents attempted to purchase fireworks from Pan.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
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Conan Edogawa and Detective Kogoro Mouri join the Nagano prefectural police to investigate a break-in at the observatory while uncovering a deeper plot involving undercover agents, betrayal, and vengeance.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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This ambitious project is powered by an army of 432 small robots that are moving the massive structure about 33 feet each day to make way for a new underground development.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
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Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his cabinet directed the British war effort during World War II from this secret underground complex.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Now, after Operation Midnight Hammer, arguably one of the most perfect covert military operations in U.S. history, who could argue? Even Trump’s most ardent critics had to give him credit.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2025
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The show has spent its entire fourth season tiptoeing around Sydney’s covert job offer, Carmy’s partnership alterations, and whatever was going on inside Richie’s GoFastBoatsMojito brain, but in one big, 30-odd-minute bottle episode, it’s all been laid on the table.—
Marah Eakin,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The recent acquisition of 80% of its operating business by one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious private equity firms, PAI Partners, values the brand at $3.6 billion.—
Katharina Kotrba,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Robyn and John Horn of Little Rock have donated 105 works of art from their private collection to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the art center’s executive director announced Monday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstairs. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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