under false pretenses

idiom

: by saying something that is not true, by pretending something, etc.

A reporter obtained documents from the company under false pretenses.

Examples of under false pretenses in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The lawsuit, filed last week in the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, accuses Bob Weinstein of withdrawing at least $6 million from company accounts under false pretenses, to give himself priority over creditors including AI International. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Feb. 2025

The scheme came to an abrupt halt when two Palestinians confronted the Israeli ambassador in Asunción about being brought to Paraguay under false pretenses. —Maha Nassar, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2025

Render alleges that he was placed under citizen’s arrest under false pretenses. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2025

Trump seems to at least in part have made this move against Canada under false pretenses. —The Editors, National Review, 2 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for under false pretenses

• albigenses
• consequences
• inferences
• biosciences
• commences
• condenses
• defences
• defenses
• dispenses
• expenses
• offences
• offenses