as in closed-door
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Recent Examples of off-the-record
The 21-page agreement prohibits the gathering or publication of any information that is not authorized by the government, including declassified information and off-the-record conversations, whether obtained on or off Pentagon grounds.
—
Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
Only days after announcing the formation of the Rockefeller Commission in January 1975, Ford accidentally shared at an off-the-record lunch with executives and editors from The New York Times that his concern about abuses involved assassinations.
—Tim Naftali, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Sometimes these occur during our quarterly CEO forums, in public but off-the-record exchanges.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
In an earlier era, athletic departments cultivated their most devoted supporters through backroom access—off-the-record chats, private events and insider tidbits for top donors.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-the-record
Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
Only days after announcing the formation of the Rockefeller Commission in January 1975, Ford accidentally shared at an off-the-record lunch with executives and editors from The New York Times that his concern about abuses involved assassinations.
—Tim Naftali, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Sometimes these occur during our quarterly CEO forums, in public but off-the-record exchanges.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
In an earlier era, athletic departments cultivated their most devoted supporters through backroom access—off-the-record chats, private events and insider tidbits for top donors.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-the-record
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-the-record
Adjective
-
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
-
Polk estimates that the majority of gamblers who don’t have other sources of income, such as sponsorships or social media channels, will either fail to turn a profit under the new rules or begin playing in more off-the-books games.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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In 1985, Marty McFly (played by Lucas Hallauer) is a skateboarding high schooler who is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time machine — ensconced in a DeLorean sports car — by nutty off-the-books scientist Doc Brown (David Josefsberg).—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In July 1971, Henry Kissinger, then national security adviser to President Richard Nixon, arrived in Beijing on his famous secret mission — the back-channel visit that helped re-open the door between two countries that had little direct contact for more than two decades.—
Xianda Huang,
The Conversation,
16 May 2026
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The messiness of a 13-year scientific undertaking, the back-channel negotiations, the philosophical disagreements, the institutional maneuvering — none of that fits neatly into an obituary.—
Zachary Utz,
STAT,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
All calls are toll-free and confidential.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
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All calls are kept confidential.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
TiVo is often chastised for being surreptitious about its data collection practices and its failure to provide a clear privacy policy.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 May 2026
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The upside of the bar's surreptitious locale is sometimes not having to share it with a soul; the downside is the potential lack of a pool partner, so bring your own.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-the-record.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-the-record. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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