as in closed-door
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Washington simply stopped issuing and renewing confidential plates in October 2025, and Massachusetts did the same, cutting off ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agencies from privileges in early 2026.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
-
However, a situation recently arose where James shared confidential information with our boss – information he wasn’t supposed to have.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
That similarly clandestine spot is tucked in the mail sorting room of Hotel Phillips downtown.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
-
Nicknamed Zvezdny Gorodok, or Star City/Starry Town, this clandestine base of operations was built beside the Tsiolkovskaya railway station served by the Yaroslavl Railroad.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
27 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
-
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 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
