off-the-record
Between us only
Off-the-record describes information shared with the understanding it won't be publicly attributed or quoted.
A journalist may receive off-the-record comments to provide context without citing the source: The senator told me off the record that the bill would fail.
The phrase implies trust—what's said stays between the parties involved.
Practice of hiding information
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
privileged · nonpublic · undisclosed · hush-hush · encrypted · restricted · confidentiality · hidden
One's formative experiences
- sourcePoint of origin
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- leakEscape through a breach
- tipEnd or gratuity
whistleblower · scoop · briefing · embargo · anonymity · disclosure · unattributable · deep-throat
Relaxed, not official
- backchannelUnofficial communication pathway
- under-the-tableSecret and unofficial
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- unscriptedNot pre-written
impromptu · casual · ad-hoc · undocumented · private · sidebar · aside · unannounced
secrecy
Practice of hiding information
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
sensitive · privileged · nonpublic · undisclosed · hush-hush · encrypted · restricted · confidentiality · hidden · covert
background
One's formative experiences
tip · whistleblower · scoop · briefing · embargo · anonymity · disclosure · unattributable · deep-throat · insider
informal
Relaxed, not official
- backchannelUnofficial communication pathway
- under-the-tableSecret and unofficial
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
unscripted · impromptu · casual · ad-hoc · undocumented · private · sidebar · aside · unannounced · unacknowledged
- journalismreporters, interview, editors, student editors, school paper
- Privateprivate, confidential, secret, personal, hidden
- confidentialityNDA, non-disclosure, nondisclosure, confidentiality clause, confidentiality
- back channelsback doors, intermediaries, go-betweens, middlemen, proxies
- informationdata, facts, details, knowledge, intel
- confidentialconfidential, secret, private, classified, undisclosed
off-the-recordon the record
Openly stated, quotable
for the record · quotable · attributable · documented · recorded
off-the-recordofficial
Authority-sanctioned person or status
formal · on the record · press release · sanctioned · sworn testimony
off-the-recordpublic
Available to all
on the record · transparent · open · disclosed · publicized
record, recording, records, recorded, recorder, offset, offhand, offshoot, thereafter