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off-the-books

American  
[awf-thuh-books, of-] / ˈɔf ðəˈbʊks, ˈɒf- /

adjective

  1. not recorded in account books or not reported as taxable income.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At the same time, tens of thousands of draft evaders are either not working or employed off-the-books.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Another has an off-the-books wager against OpenAI, which is privately held.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

The group argues digital ID could help tackle "illegal off-the-books employment".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2025

For off-the-books assistance, she calls a man with whom she has a complicated past.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024

Weisselberg served 100 days in jail last year for dodging taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation from the Trump Organization and is still on probation.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 1, 2024

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