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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pretexts
Pages and pages have been written on this passage, seeking out its ideological subtext, its historical context and its intellectual pretexts in classical and early modern thought.
—
New York Times, 9 June 2026
The Kremlin is making false accusations that could be used in the future as pretexts for military attacks.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Americans have a long history of being hurried into war on false pretexts.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Hamas says that Israel is creating pretexts to avoid honoring the agreement.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
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
New York Times, 9 June 2026
The Kremlin is making false accusations that could be used in the future as pretexts for military attacks.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Americans have a long history of being hurried into war on false pretexts.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Hamas says that Israel is creating pretexts to avoid honoring the agreement.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretexts
Noun
-
There are a lot of reasons why The Osthoff Resort & Spa is an ideal spot for a waterfront family vacation.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
-
Høiby was not present in court on Monday because of health reasons.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
My problem is that the security concerns behind the ban don’t really make sense, and the regulations seem to unnecessarily target DJI beyond the justifications given.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
There are no obvious justifications, financial or otherwise.—
Sloane Crosley,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
Garcia-Hernandez was arrested on charges of theft of an elder adult, obtaining money by false pretenses, and attempted grand theft, along with an out-of-county warrant.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
But his silence in the series could change viewers’ perceptions of him, raising questions about where the line between empathy and excuses lies.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretexts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretexts. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
