as in reasons
a false ground that you give to hide why you are really doing something
The leaders used a minor clash at the border as a pretext for war.
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Recent Examples of pretexts
Those killed under torture, or by starvation, or medical neglect, on the other hand, were transported first to military hospitals where pretexts were invented for the deaths.
—
Robin Yassin-Kassab, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Robin Yassin-Kassab, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretexts
Noun
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Fujimura also explained the historical reasons for why Japanese IP is so strong – starting with the periodical manga magazines that became popular in the 1950s, evolving into the anime business that boomed with the growth of Japan’s animation studios and TV networks in the 1960s.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
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But according to the song's very own author, the weary search for reasons is more the point than the restoration of belief.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In this era, several justifications were offered for enslaving Africans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
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Local leaders, on the other hand, continued to push back on the administration's justifications and the administration's characterizations of violence in their cities.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Did Gacy’s attorney, Sam Amirante, agree to represent him on false pretenses and later struggle to be his lawyer?—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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Harold is so clearly not a great man that his pretenses feel more like cries for help.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That’s not surprising, but no excuses.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Oct. 2025
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The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most banged up teams in the entire NFL, but head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't interested in excuses.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretexts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretexts. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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