UNDER THE COUNTER Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

under-the-counter

adjective

Definition of under-the-counter

as in under-the-table

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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 under-the-counter 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 Filtering your water If PFAS levels are concerning, consumers can purchase an under-the-counter water filter for their tap. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for under-the-counter

Adjective

The Timberwolves were punished so drastically because all sides put the under-the-table arrangement in writing, making the evidence clear.

— Eric Nehm, New York Times, 16 July 2026
In addition, enterprising souls would indubitably turn to open-source generative AI and enlist AI mental health support under-the-table and under-the-radar of such laws.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Mar. 2026

Definition of under-the-table

Adjective

Lancaster and Palmdale, the two incorporated cities of Antelope Valley about 15 miles west of Pearblossom, also attract unauthorized RVs.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Around 1,200 agents overall exchanged more than 70,000 messages and files through an unauthorized message board, coordinating ways to game a hacking evaluation.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of unauthorized

Adjective

The unlicensed recovery center underworld ranges from places that pamper patients with space and very personal care by licensed medical professionals to places that cram patients into spaces minded by people with limited or no medical training.

— DAVID J. NEAL, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
And in recent weeks, concerns about that history — including accusations of nonpayment and unlicensed screenings at the Kingsway — have traveled west through something of an industry whisper network, increasingly spilling into public view.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of unlicensed

Browse Nearby Words

undertakings

under-the-counter

under the influence

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“Under-the-counter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/under-the-counter. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of under-the-counter

adjective

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