under false pretenses

idiom

: by saying something that is not true, by pretending something, etc.

A reporter obtained documents from the company under false pretenses.

Examples of under false pretenses in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Directed by Alia Azamat Ashkenazi, a two-time United Nations Award winner, the film explores the haunting legacy of a real-life government scheme that displaced thousands of children from La Réunion to rural France under false pretenses. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025

On July 30, 2024, Ozer signed a plea agreement with prosecutors acknowledging his intent to defraud and obtain money from the Safehaven production under false pretenses. —Steve Belanger, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025

Over six episodes of Love Con Revenge, Fjellhøy teams up with private investigator Brianne Joseph to spotlight the cases of four men and one woman who demanded money from their partners under false pretenses. —Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 5 Sep. 2025

Scammers may post fake room rental listings and even meet potential tenants to collect deposits and first month’s rent under false pretenses. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for under false pretenses

• albigenses
• consequences
• inferences
• biosciences
• commences
• condenses
• defences
• defenses
• dispenses
• expenses
• offences
• offenses