noun
pretext
PREE-tehkst
noun
1
A false reason given to hide the real motive behind an action.
"He used a doctor's appointment as a pretext to leave the meeting early."
"The invasion was launched under the pretext of self-defence."
How to Use Pretext
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn excuse used to mask the true reason for doing something.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
under the pretext of
a pretext for
Word Forms
pretexted past tense, pretexts plural, pretexts singular
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He used a doctor's appointment as a _____ to leave the meeting early.
Etymology
From Latin praetextum, "an ornament woven in front" — figuratively, a cover story, from praetexere ("to weave in front, to disguise").