See pretext in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
noun
A professed rather than a real reason:
pretense, pretension. See honestAn explanation offered to justify an action or make it better understood:
excuse, plea. See explainA deceptive outward appearance:
cloak, color, coloring, cover, disguise, disguisement, façade, face, false colors, front, gloss, guise, mask, masquerade, pretense, semblance, show, veil, veneer, window-dressing. (Slang) put-on. See show
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