plural pretexts
: a reason that you give to hide your real reason for doing something : pretense
The leaders used a minor clash at the border as a pretext for war. [=as a reason/excuse for starting a war]
She always managed to visit him on one pretext or another. [=she found various reasons to visit him]
She went back to her friend's house on/under the pretext that she had forgotten her purse.
Cite this Entry
“Pretext.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/pretext. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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