smoke-filled room

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smoke-filled room (plural smoke-filled rooms)

1. (idiomatic) A place where powerful people meet to decide a matter in secret, often of a political nature.

   Near-synonym: backroom (as a meeting place of crooked insiders)

   • 2009, Robert McCrum, “No Tóibín, no Trevor? Yes, it's time for more Booker controversy”, in The Guardian:

     In its first decade, prize business was settled in the smoke-filled rooms of London clubs, where it remained resolutely insular.

   • 2013, Ted Cruz, “Ted Cruz Punches Back”, in National Review:

     If the forums in which we make this case consist of the smoke-filled rooms of Washington, the votes aren't there.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see smoke,‎ filled,‎ room.