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

That is, until Russell Crowe’s Warden Clancy offers Murphy an under-the-table deal.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of under-the-table

Adjective

Faced with a seemingly impossible challenge, a human might simply give up rather than resort to these kinds of unauthorized steps.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
OpenAI recently disclosed six cases of concerning model behavior, and Anthropic has also admitted its models gained unauthorized access to three organizations’ systems during testing.

— Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of unauthorized

Adjective

For relief, the Knicks seek a permanent injunction blocking the defendants from using Knicks trademarks and other intellectual property in connection with the unlicensed sale of goods.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Cops have arrested an unlicensed SUV operator who caused a chain-reaction crash that killed a 67-year-old man on a Brooklyn sidewalk, officials said Friday.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of under-the-counter

adjective

Example Sentences

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