BEHIND-THE-SCENES Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

behind-the-scenes

adjective

bi-ˈhīnd-ṯẖə-ˈsēnz

Definition of behind-the-scenes

as in confidential

not known or meant to be known by the general populace a tell-all book about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that got him the vice presidential nomination

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in clandestine

undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others behind-the-scenes negotiations that resulted in the hostages being released unharmed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 behind-the-scenes Klum even gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the costume in an Instagram video. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2026 In the 21st century, few people outside of show-business circles still know about the essential role of Astaire's behind-the-scenes collaborator, Hermes Pan. — David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 Darman regularly filled me in on the behind-the-scenes story, its color and meaning. — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 By Hugo Gurdon & Christopher Tremoglie Must Read Washington Secrets delivers behind-the-scenes reporting on Washington politics and the power players who run the city. — Washington Examiner, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for behind-the-scenes

Recent Examples of Synonyms for behind-the-scenes

Adjective

In April, a US Army soldier was arrested and charged with using confidential information to make $410,000 in Polymarket bets on the timing of the military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
Keeping the information confidential was consistent with state protocol, a spokesperson in his department said, adding that it was still shared with local health officials.

— Nat Lash, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of confidential

Adjective

The arrest, the official explained, came after the Attorney General’s Office concluded that there had been misconduct in an April operation in which state officials dismantled a clandestine drug-manufacturing laboratory.

— Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Bridgers’ tour restricts phones, so the reader’s account had to stand in for the clandestine photo that might otherwise have accompanied the sighting.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of clandestine

Adjective

Lisa meets her Other Mother and Other Father after wandering through a secret tunnel.

— Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
OpenAI’s agents coordinated their behavior in ingenious ways, including writing secret messages in a file system so that even when one AI colony was erased, a future colony could pick up the hack where the previous one left off.

— Noah Giansiracusa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of secret

Adjective

An unverified Snapchat message, which students in France claim was written by an undercover police officer, has become the slogan of student protests.

— Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
From that moment on, Liang went all-in on becoming the beloved fighter, putting herself through an intense physical transformation to embody the undercover Interpol agent.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of undercover

Adjective

In August, Spencer Spirit agreed to buy Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe from Sycamore Partners, which took Hot Topic private in 2013 for about $600 million.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
The board will also calculate the amount of wealth subject to the tax using publicly available stock information and private assessments of personal property, such as artwork and jewelry.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of private

Adjective

But how and through whom the money flowed into the Alpha account revealed that it was intended to remain secret, more akin to a covert and illicit scheme, given that it was managed in part by a senior advisor to the president of the United States.

— Matthew Cole, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Even in scenes outside Sonny’s perspective, Ellen still looks like not-quite-Connie Britton, fielding suspicious phone calls and making covert trips to the bank.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of covert

Adjective

The Finnish Government has granted Posiva Oy an operating license for the world’s first permanent underground repository for spent nuclear fuel.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Part of what a racist superstructure creates is the need for some kind of underground economy.

— Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of underground

Browse Nearby Words

behinds

behind-the-scenes

behold

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“Behind-the-scenes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behind-the-scenes. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of behind-the-scenes

adjective

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