: not reported or recorded
off-the-books transactions
off-the-books covert operations
off the books adverb

Examples of off-the-books in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bragg’s office secured that conviction on tax fraud charges for reaping luxurious off-the-books benefits while Weisselberg was head of the Trump Org’s coffers in a separate case in August 2022, leading to his 99-day term on Rikers Island. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2024 This year’s version is another rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul maneuver that would remove $8.8 billion in overpayments of state aid from previous years from the budget and treat it, in effect, as a off-the-books loan to be written off over five years. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 22 May 2024 Her husband is still awaiting his work authorization and meanwhile looks for off-the-books jobs every morning with other day laborers. Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Weisselberg went to jail last year after pleading guilty to evading taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation from the Trump Organization, including a luxury apartment and a Mercedes-Benz. Compiled Bydemocrat-Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Weisselberg went to jail last year after pleading guilty to evading taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation from the Trump Organization. Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Some have found off-the-books jobs in construction and housekeeping. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 First, an off-the-books experiment Before setting up the longer process used in the study, Smythers called on an undergraduate to help do a quick experiment and test her early hypothesis about reactive oxygen species and their role in starting tun formation. Jenna Schnuer, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024 The final scene of Rocky III shows Rocky and Apollo slipping into a gym late at night to have an off-the-books third fight to determine who the heavyweight champion really is. Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'off-the-books.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-the-books was in 1975

Dictionary Entries Near off-the-books

Cite this Entry

“Off-the-books.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-the-books. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

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