as in closed-door
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Recent Examples of off-the-record
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
Puck promises off-the-record conversations with editors in their top subscription tier, and Lauren Sherman often recaps her off-the-record dinners on her podcast and in her column.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
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
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
Puck promises off-the-record conversations with editors in their top subscription tier, and Lauren Sherman often recaps her off-the-record dinners on her podcast and in her column.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
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
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Painter said this is exactly the kind of trading a president shouldn’t do, because the president has both confidential information about overseas developments and the power to move commodities markets through his own decisions.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
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All calls are toll-free and confidential.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dark, dim, and a little grungy, with its scuffed checkerboard floors, worn old couches, peeling walls, and chalkboard menus, La Factoria feels like a clandestine underground speakeasy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
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Filling out the role of Ilya is Jay Armstrong Johnson; Jimin Moon plays Shane; Ryann Redmond plays a wine-mom narrator who lives for their clandestine love.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 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 19 May. 2026.
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