Pretext Definition

prētĕkst
noun
A false reason or motive put forth to hide the real one; excuse.
Webster's New World
A cover-up; front.
Webster's New World

A false, contrived or assumed purpose; a pretense.

The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
verb

To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.

The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Pretext

Noun

Singular:
pretext
Plural:
pretexts

Origin of Pretext

  • From French prétexte, from Latin praetextum (“an ornament, etc., wrought in front, a pretense"), neuter of praetextus, past participle of praetexere (“to weave before, fringe or border, allege").

    From Wiktionary

  • Latin praetextum from neuter past participle of praetexere to disguise prae- pre- texere to weave teks- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Pretext Sentence Examples

  • But they served as a sufficient pretext, and in.

  • To prevent this interference, or rather to give no pretext for it, was his guiding thought as to foreign policy.

  • On the contrary it served as a pretext for Ivan to interfere in Lithuanian affairs.

  • The duke went to England in 1360 as a hostage for the fulfilment of the treaty of Bretigny, returning to France in 1367 on the pretext of collecting his ransom.

  • These acquisitions were made between 1328 and 1338; in the latter year Orkhan achieved his first conquest from Mussulman hands by the capture of Karassi, the pretext being the quarrel for the succession on the death of the prince, Ajlan Bey.

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Words Starting With

PPRPRE

Words Ending With

TXTEXT

Unscrambles

pretext

Words Starting With P and Ending With T

Starts With P & Ends With TStarts With PR & Ends With TStarts With P & Ends With XT

Word Length

7 Letter Words7 Letter Words Starting With P7 Letter Words Ending With T