under the table
1 of 2phrase
1
: into a stupor
can drink you under the table
2
: in a covert manner
took money under the table
un·der-the-ta·ble
ˈən-dər-ṯẖə-ˈtā-bəl 
: covert and usually unlawful
under-the-table payoffs
Examples of under the table in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Frankie Mills,
Air Mail,
27 June 2026
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for under the table
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Phrase
Joseph Stalin—the Soviet Union’s supreme ruler from 1929 to 1953 and a murderous tyrant legendary for drinking friends and enemies under the table—was a closet oenophile, the e-mail explained.
—
Frankie Mills,
Air Mail,
27 June 2026
Adjective
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
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
See All Example Sentences for under the table
Cite this Entry
“Under the table.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20the%20table. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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