under-the-table

adjective

Definition of under-the-tablenext
as in under-the-counter

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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 under-the-table Zumba allegedly asked whether the spouse would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized, ID cards for an under-the-table payment. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026 But while that under-the-table approach by Israel towards Hamas came crashing down with the October 7, 2023 attacks, concern still lingers in Ramallah, the headquarters of the PA , that the new technocratic committee could be another way to divide Palestinians by creating rival centers of power. — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 18 Jan. 2026 In the meantime, many engage in under-the-table, unreliable work. — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2025 The truth is, under the old system, plenty of elite players were there only for the under-the-table cash. — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for under-the-table
Recent Examples of Synonyms for under-the-table
  1. under-the-counter
  2. unauthorized
  3. unsanctioned
  4. illicit
  5. unlicensed
  6. unapproved
  7. criminal
  8. contraband
Adjective
  • Behind the bar, crammed into a small station barely wide enough for one person, were two rice cookers, a combination oven, an induction burner and an under-the-counter fridge.
    — Priya Krishna, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • By night, his father would lend him his binoculars to spy on women through their windows, filling in any gaps in his anatomical understanding with whatever under-the-counter girly magazines had managed to wiggle through Italy’s draconian censorship.
    — Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2024
Definition of under-the-counter
Adjective
  • The produce company alleges in a civil lawsuit that Brian Thure spent company money on unauthorized purchases, including multiple homes and an endowment at the University of California, Berkeley, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The island is reportedly subject to a no-fly zone during the stays of members of the royal family or high-ranking officials, preventing any drones from taking unauthorized photos of the Windsors’ family vacations.
    — Eliza Prosperini, Vanity Fair, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of unauthorized
Adjective
  • Reuters reported this week that evaluators recorded 19 unsanctioned actions during 10 of 122 test runs, with an Anthropic agent responsible for 17 of them.
    — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • This involves using a separate large language model that can approve or deny actions requested by the AI models that are undergoing cyber testing, which can help stop unsanctioned actions.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsanctioned
Adjective
  • This ongoing challenge raises significant questions about the control of programmable dollars and the effectiveness of stablecoin freezes in combating illicit finance, which increasingly relies on these digital assets.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • For example, libertarians generally argue that owning guns, using illicit drugs and refusing vaccinations are individual rights that must be protected from the harm of infringement via regulation.
    — Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • The mass shooting has shone a new spotlight on Thailand’s high levels of gun ownership, both licensed and unlicensed.
    — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The captain of an allegedly unlicensed boat that capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island over the weekend, killing a young woman and her baby, has been charged in their deaths.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlicensed
Adjective
  • Peptides are gaining immense popularity for health and longevity, but a growing grey market sees millions injecting unapproved substances from unverified sources.
    — Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Also under inspection were a number of sheds on the site that were possibly unpermitted or unapproved.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of unapproved
Adjective
  • Informal mining is a deep problem in South Africa and is connected to criminal syndicates, according to authorities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Bad actors rely on their platforms to distribute illicit products, facilitate fraud and fund criminal activity.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Mexican authorities have seized millions of gallons of contraband fuel in scores of railroad cars near the border with Texas.
    — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • He was sentenced 20 years for the contraband conviction and six months for the assault and battery, all to be served concurrently.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of contraband

Browse Nearby Words

under the influence
under-the-table
under the weather
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Under-the-table.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/under-the-table. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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