1. a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.
"_He had used her love affair with the actor as a pretext to break off their engagement_"
2. a false reason or motive.
"_He wanted to take the exam just as a pretext to see Jane_"
Pretext (_verb_)
- use (a false reason) as an excuse for an action.
"_He pretexted a sudden bout of illness_"