OFF-THE-BOOKS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

off-the-books

adjective

Definition of off-the-books

as in off-the-record

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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-books In Disclosure Day, cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner (O’Connor) steals files confirming alien contact from the Wardex Corporation, an off-the-books non-governmental organization. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 But statistics fail to convey the humanity of yard sales—the caprice, whimsy, and high spirits, as well as the cunning, weirdness, and heartbreak, that charge and thicken the air when two people agree to perform an off-the-books monetary transaction. — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Jeff Shell, the former president of Paramount Skydance, has resolved litigation with a gambler who accused him of leaking confidential company information and who sought $150 million for off-the-books crisis PR work. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for off-the-books

Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-the-books

Adjective

In all, the on-the-record remarks lasted about 30 minutes and were followed by a larger off-the-record mixer with the media involving additional Skydance executives.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Sacramento Kings media day Monday apparently came with some off-the-record player reviews that accidentally went on the record.

— Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of off-the-record

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

Many hosts report resistance, in the forms of surreptitious card-shuffling and outright complaints.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2026
To unearth these surreptitious practices, Gamers Nexus partnered up with independent security researchers and Level1Techs.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of surreptitious

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

There was also a proposal for an AI-hotline-style back-channel between the two countries to provide early warning and additional context should rogue AI conduct unplanned operations.

— Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Rubio has led back-channel talks with Raúl Castro’s grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, but Cuban officials say talks with the administration are at a stalemate.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of back-channel

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

off the bat

off-the-books

off-the-cuff

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“Off-the-books.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-the-books. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of off-the-books

adjective

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