pretext
noun
pre·text
ˈprē-ˌtekst 
: a purpose or motive alleged or an appearance assumed in order to cloak the real intention or state of affairs
Examples of pretext in a Sentence
She went back to her friend's house on the pretext that she had forgotten her purse.
Recent Examples on the Web
But free press advocates say his vow to keep reporters honest is a pretext to intimidate his critics.
—
Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
The rebels, led by Mr. Kagame, said the Hutu extremists downed the plane as a pretext for genocide.
—Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Earlier state media coverage of her trip had characterized U.S. concerns about overcapacity as a possible pretext for tariffs.
—Fatima Hussein and Ken Moritsugu, Quartz, 6 Apr. 2024
As emergency workers waded through the rubble of Moscow’s Crocus City Hall on Sunday, also being picked over was the extent to which the attack might damage Russian President Vladimir Putin — or be used as a pretext to bolster his war in Ukraine.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
The pretext for the latest attacks inside Russia was to slow down Moscow’s offensive plans in Ukraine, one of the pro-Kyiv Russian volunteer leaders said last week at a news conference.
—Andy Carey, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The lawsuit alleges the city is not honoring its contractual obligations by creating a pretext for not paying.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Francis sparked fury last year by praising Russia’s imperial rulers — the historical pretext that President Vladimir Putin often uses to help justify his invasion.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
By training a large language model on the data of a specific target, attackers can create lures that refer to particular characteristics of a target, such as the specific suppliers the target uses, to make the pretext seem more convincing.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2024
Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
The rebels, led by Mr. Kagame, said the Hutu extremists downed the plane as a pretext for genocide.
—Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Earlier state media coverage of her trip had characterized U.S. concerns about overcapacity as a possible pretext for tariffs.
—Fatima Hussein and Ken Moritsugu, Quartz, 6 Apr. 2024
As emergency workers waded through the rubble of Moscow’s Crocus City Hall on Sunday, also being picked over was the extent to which the attack might damage Russian President Vladimir Putin — or be used as a pretext to bolster his war in Ukraine.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
The pretext for the latest attacks inside Russia was to slow down Moscow’s offensive plans in Ukraine, one of the pro-Kyiv Russian volunteer leaders said last week at a news conference.
—Andy Carey, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The lawsuit alleges the city is not honoring its contractual obligations by creating a pretext for not paying.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Francis sparked fury last year by praising Russia’s imperial rulers — the historical pretext that President Vladimir Putin often uses to help justify his invasion.
—Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
By training a large language model on the data of a specific target, attackers can create lures that refer to particular characteristics of a target, such as the specific suppliers the target uses, to make the pretext seem more convincing.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pretext.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing pretext
Dictionary Entries Near pretext
Cite this Entry
“Pretext.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretext. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
pretext
noun
pre·text
ˈprē-ˌtekst
: a reason put forward in order to hide the real reason
More from Merriam-Webster on pretext
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pretext
Nglish: Translation of pretext for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pretext for Arabic Speakers
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