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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Comey, who is expected to plead not guilty to the charges, denies wrongdoing and has argued that he is being targeted for political reasons.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
8 Oct. 2025
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But the reasons behind the divorce, and whether the relationship was really salvageable until Urban decided otherwise, are just speculation.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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One of Russia's justifications for launching its war against Ukraine was to thwart Kyiv's ambitions to join NATO, which Moscow regards as a serious threat to its national security.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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They were arraigned on Friday in Brockton District Court on one count each of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses, embezzlement, and conspiracy.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Restoring trust means delivering results, not excuses, through mandatory ethics training for all city staff to ensure accountability.—
Miami Herald Staff,
Miami Herald,
8 Oct. 2025
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But no more excuses—for me or for you.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretexts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretexts. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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