under-the-table

adjective

Definition of under-the-tablenext
as in under-the-counter

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 As alluded to previously, many athletes accepted under-the-table payments from schools (and their partners) who knew their contributions have a meaningful impact on their (and their partners’) bottom line. — Nick Lomaglio, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 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 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
  • Victims of the Lemonade breach said their information was used to apply for loans, access retirement accounts and make unauthorized credit card charges.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Those ascents have largely been unauthorized, but actor and musician Jared Leto was allowed to climb up to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.
    — Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of unauthorized
Adjective
  • The combination of unsanctioned AI use, sensitive data exposure, autonomous task execution and limited organizational visibility creates elevated operational, security, compliance and reputational risk.
    — Michelle Drolet, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Amid the charm offensive, Bankman-Fried even conducted an unsanctioned interview with conservative TV host Tucker Carlson from prison in March 2025.
    — Camila Grigera Naon, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Definition of unsanctioned
Adjective
  • As a result, the bill would leave parts of the crypto ecosystem vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists, sanctions evaders, fraudsters, and other illicit actors under the guise of technological neutrality.
    — Richard Nephew, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Though the film ends with Lori and John getting married (despite Ted's various illicit shenanigans), Ted 2 reveals that the pair have divorced.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • The indictment charges all five defendants with conspiracy, unlicensed dealing and manufacturing of firearms, interstate travel with intent to unlawfully deal firearms, and unlawful importation of firearms into California.
    — Lyanne Wang, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Kalshi alone is fighting more than 30 lawsuits across the country, as states argue the company is running an unlicensed sportsbook.
    — Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of unlicensed
Adjective
  • The state attorney general claims that sports betting is regulated by the Arizona Department of Gaming and that operating an unapproved gambling operation within Arizona is against state laws.
    — Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Despite Iran's warning against using unapproved shipping lanes, vessels continued to take several routes through the waterway over the weekend.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of unapproved
Adjective
  • Kayden Bordley, 19, faces one count each of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action, according to a Jackson County charging document.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • The Chino Police Department is leading the criminal investigation.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • The indictment also charges four current and former federal inmates accused of coordinating drops using contraband cellphones.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2026
  • Officials said Monday 15 people were taken to the hospital after residents of the Horizon Juvenile Center, which houses young offenders, armed themselves with contraband and makeshift knives as chaos erupted Sunday.
    — Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 22 June 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 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All