pretext

noun

pre·​text ˈprē-ˌtekst 

: a purpose or motive alleged or an appearance assumed in order to cloak the real intention or state of affairs

Choose the Right Synonym for pretext

apology, apologia, excuse, plea, pretext, alibi mean matter offered in explanation or defense.

apology usually applies to an expression of regret for a mistake or wrong with implied admission of guilt or fault and with or without reference to mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

said by way of apology that he would have met them if he could

apologia implies not admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear the grounds for some course, belief, or position.

his speech was an apologia for his foreign policy

excuse implies an intent to avoid or remove blame or censure.

used illness as an excuse for missing the meeting

plea stresses argument or appeal for understanding or sympathy or mercy.

her usual plea that she was nearsighted

pretext suggests subterfuge and the offering of false reasons or motives in excuse or explanation.

used any pretext to get out of work

alibi implies a desire to shift blame or evade punishment and imputes mere plausibility to the explanation.

his alibi failed to stand scrutiny

Examples of pretext in a Sentence

She went back to her friend's house on the pretext that she had forgotten her purse.

Recent Examples on the Web

The government insists the case has nothing to do with a free press, saying the defendants used news reporting as a pretext for years to commit acts that harmed China and Hong Kong. —Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026

Some experts have questioned the extent to which AI is playing a role in layoffs, with economists telling CBS News that companies could be using AI as a pretext for job cuts. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026

By what pretext did federal agents secure a warrant to seize the records? —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026

These attacks often provided a larger cultural pretext for the campaigns of extralegal political violence that terrorized Black voters in the South, assassinated political leaders, and marred the integrity of several of the region’s major elections. —Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin praetextus, from praetexere to assign as a pretext, screen, extend in front, from prae- + texere to weave — more at technical

First Known Use

circa 1538, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pretext

• on one pretext or another

Rhymes for pretext

• complexed
• deflexed
• perplexed
• plaintext
• reflexed
• subtext
• ciphertext
• hypertext
• multiplexed
• teletext
• flexed
• next

Kids Definition

pretext

noun

pre·​text ˈprē-ˌtekst 

: a reason put forward in order to hide the real reason