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
  • 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
  • In all, 1,200 agents sent more than 70,000 messages and files through the unsanctioned message board, according to an independent investigation from the AI research nonprofit METR.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Meta and Anthropic also disclosed their own systems took unsanctioned actions during cybersecurity tests, a wake-up call for the AI and cybersecurity industry.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsanctioned
Adjective
  • Deli containers, those clear plastic cylinders that hold bagel schmears, premade pasta salads, and the occasional illicit public beach cocktail, enjoy vaunted status in the food world.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Lake County State's Attorney said an investigation starting in June 2026 found illicit activity on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.
    — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • 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
  • States and tribal groups accuse them of offering an unlicensed gambling product under the guise of being a financial asset.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlicensed
Adjective
  • Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda were all assessed six-place grid penalties for unapproved engine changes.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Splashtop’s remote access protection flagged one of those samples as an unapproved remote access app.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of unapproved
Adjective
  • Jacobs was formally charged Thursday with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, stemming from the May 23 incident at his home near Green Bay.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The bill brings state fireworks licensing requirements in line with federal ones by expanding the list of criminal convictions that make applicants ineligible for fireworks licenses.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Prior contraband attempts involved the launch of a drone from the dead end of Noe Street, just east of the facility, deputies said.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faced with this churn – as well as staffing, security and contraband-control concerns – many jails invest little in family visitation.
    — Jillian Turanovic, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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