as in justification
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretext
Democrats also fear an effort to use fringe actions, like violent attacks on Tesla vehicles and showrooms, as a pretext to go after organizations that help the party and liberal causes.
—
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Mar. 2025
Analysts warn that the military will use greater engagement as a pretext to normalize diplomatic ties and entrench its authoritarian rule.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
In the days that followed, Alex Azar, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Robert Redfield, the C.D.C. director, both stated that C.D.C. recommendations should not be used as a pretext for keeping schools closed.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2025
Whitehouse argued that Trump and Musk want to create chaos at the agency to serve as a pretext for private-sector actors to take it over.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretext
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Mar. 2025
Analysts warn that the military will use greater engagement as a pretext to normalize diplomatic ties and entrench its authoritarian rule.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
In the days that followed, Alex Azar, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Robert Redfield, the C.D.C. director, both stated that C.D.C. recommendations should not be used as a pretext for keeping schools closed.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2025
Whitehouse argued that Trump and Musk want to create chaos at the agency to serve as a pretext for private-sector actors to take it over.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretext
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretext
Noun
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And still others, eyes already on 2028, are quietly offering up preemptive justifications before the blame begins to settle.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
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Trump’s firing of Perlmutter — which the White House has yet to comment on or give its justification for — thus removed a key bulwark for content companies.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.—
Sharareh Drury,
People.com,
26 May 2025
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President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly point to Trump's election as a reason for the recruiting rebound.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Construct decision boundaries that eliminate excuses.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Hansi Flick has told his Barcelona players that partying after their La Liga title celebrations is no excuse for letting their performances drop.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
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After his arrest, Duffy had faked amnesia and sought asylum in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors prevented the police from interrogating him, but the pretense of the amnesia was exposed at the trial by his ex-wife and a friend.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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May 8 Theft by false pretense: Someone contacted a Saratoga resident, claiming to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The show’s divergence here is enormous, first by grounding Tommy in Jackson rather than as the leader of the violent excursion and secondly removing any guise about Ellie’s intentions.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 May 2025
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The kit is being sold under the ridiculous guise of an educational tool.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretext.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretext. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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