under/on the pretense of
idiom
: using as a false reason or explanation (something that is used to hide the real purpose of something)
He called her under/on the pretense of asking about the homework assignment.
Examples of under/on the pretense of in a Sentence
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Such uncertainty will exacerbate Beijing’s long-standing fears about transnational extremist links between Afghanistan and Xinjiang, the autonomous region in western China where the government has interned more than a million Muslim Uyghurs under the pretense of counterterrorism and internal order.
—
Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2021
Liberals, apparently, got up close to voters under the pretense of handing out food and water.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2024
The indictment alleges that Combs and his associates lured female victims, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
Basic human rights are being encroached upon under the pretense of prosperity and wealth.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for under/on the pretense of 
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Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2021
Liberals, apparently, got up close to voters under the pretense of handing out food and water.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2024
The indictment alleges that Combs and his associates lured female victims, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
Basic human rights are being encroached upon under the pretense of prosperity and wealth.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for under/on the pretense of
Cite this Entry
“Under/on the pretense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%2Fon%20the%20pretense%20of. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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