under/on the pretense of
idiom
: using as a false reason or explanation (something that is used to hide the real purpose of something)
He called her under/on the pretense of asking about the homework assignment.
Examples of under/on the pretense of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The summit is being held under the pretense of discussing Putin’s three-year war in Ukraine, but the Russian has indicated his preference for the conversation to also touch on economic issues and a nuclear arms treaty.
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Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
The two men lured the woman under the pretense of a meeting then beat her to death in the desert because of her gender identity, prosecutors said.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
In 1900: Yuxian, the governor of Shanxi province in North China, ordered the massacre of 45 foreign Protestant and Catholic missionaries, including women and children, under the pretense of protection from violence.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
The federal indictment alleged that Combs and his associates lured female victims, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
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Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
The two men lured the woman under the pretense of a meeting then beat her to death in the desert because of her gender identity, prosecutors said.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
In 1900: Yuxian, the governor of Shanxi province in North China, ordered the massacre of 45 foreign Protestant and Catholic missionaries, including women and children, under the pretense of protection from violence.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
The federal indictment alleged that Combs and his associates lured female victims, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for under/on the pretense of
Cite this Entry
“Under/on the pretense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%2Fon%20the%20pretense%20of. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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