Pretext

Noun

 * 1) A false, contrived or assumed purpose; a pretense.
 * The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.

Synonyms

 * See also Thesaurus:pretext

Verb

 * 1) 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.

Adjectives for Pretext
specious; trifling; vulgar; plausible; worthy; reasonable; friendly; convenient; insignificant.

Thesaurus
acting, affectation, alibi, allege, alternative, appearance, attitudinizing, avow, bluff, bluffing, camouflage, cheating, choice, claim, cloak, color, coloring, cover, cover story, deception, delusion, disguise, dissemblance, dissembling, dissimulation, escape clause, escape hatch, excuse, explanation, facade, face, fakery, faking, false air, false front, false show, falsity, feigning, feint, four-flushing, fraud, front, gilt, gloss, guise, humbug, humbuggery, imposture, loophole, masquerade, meretriciousness, ostentation, outward show, playacting, plea, pose, posing, posture, pretend, pretense, pretension, profess, protest too much, purport, rational ground, rationale, rationalization, reason, reason for, reason why, red herring, representation, right, ruse, saving clause, seeming, semblance, sham, show, simulacrum, simulation, speciousness, stated cause, the big idea, the idea, the whatfor, the wherefore, the why, underlying reason, varnish, veil, way of escape, way out, window dressing

Etymology
< prétexte: <  praetextum:, neuter of praetextus:, past participle of praetexere:.

Noun

 * Czech:
 * Hungarian: ,
 * Italian: ,


 * Scottish Gaelic:
 * Serbo-Croatian: izgovor, izlika
 * Sicilian: scaciuni

Verb

 * Hebrew: אמתלה (amátlah)
 * Deutsch Vorwand