- deniably
- (of a lie or secret action)in a manner hard to exposeUsually of a statement made off the record or an act taken by a third party on behalf of another:... the small country could inflict wounds itself, or even more safely, sponsor others to do so — 'deniably'. (Clancy, 1987)Whence the adjective deniable and the noun deniability:... nothing more than an exercise in keeping its own nose clean — not being seen to be involved. Deniability was the polite word for it. (D. Mason, 1993)
How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. R. W. Holder. 2014.