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 department said the detectives who reported the affair violated three policies for conducting an unauthorized investigation and their use of Flock.
    — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Anthropic said a misconfiguration allowed Claude models to reach the internet from testing environments that were supposed to be isolated, leading to unauthorized access to three organizations’ systems.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Definition of unauthorized
Adjective
  • The shooting occurred at an unsanctioned party near the intersection of Hale Avenue and Miramonte Avenue in Morgan Hill, an area tucked between fields and a mushroom farm.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • Authorities said the gathering was an unsanctioned party promoted on social media that drew more than 300 attendees.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of unsanctioned
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, 18-to-25-year-olds saw declines in the use of nicotine products, tobacco, cigarette, alcohol and binge drinking in the past month as well as the use of illicit drugs and prescription stimulants or opioids within the past year.
    — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But the illicit art is only part of the operatic tale of the literal rise and metaphorical fall of what have become informally known as the graffiti towers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • Last week, the state of New York sued Kalshi to stop it from operating in the state, arguing that the platform constitutes unlicensed gambling.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The unlicensed doctor who runs the clinic, Luis Rojas Cabrera, was arrested for practicing without a license and reckless endangerment.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlicensed
Adjective
  • By an 11-7 vote, with one member abstaining, the board approved a last-minute amendment that placed $150 million in unapproved and unappropriated state revenue into the district’s budget.
    — Angel Gutierrez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The group recommends that unapproved synthetic peptide products, currently being obtained from mostly unregulated sources, undergo rigorous regulatory evaluations before licensing.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of unapproved
Adjective
  • If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Saleem Martin, who has been charged with kidnapping, theft by taking, simple battery, entering an automobile, cruelty to children and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • 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
  • The contraband sale of oil and gasoline has become a multibillion-dollar business in Mexico, with the government accusing crime groups of working hand-in-glove with corrupt officials and businesses.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of contraband

Browse Nearby Words

under the influence
under-the-table
under the weather
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Cite this Entry

“Under-the-table.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/under-the-table. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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