pretext

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said the aircraft had been taking part in "a deception and escape mission... under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft".

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

“They use it as a pretext, even in regions where there is no such danger.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

“It’s all pretext and obfuscation when the real agenda is rejecting conventional science and serving a predetermined anti-vaccine agenda,” Richard Hughes IV, a law professor at George Washington University, told The Guardian.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

Minister Seethakka told the Hindu newspaper that killing stray dogs under the pretext of population control could not be justified under any circumstances.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Then, with the pretext that the animals were losing their fertility, he transferred his barns and stables.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez