Pretext (Ostensible motive, ground, or reason assigned)
Nouns
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pretext, pretense, pretension, plea
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allegation, advocation
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ostensible motive, ostensible ground, ostensible reason, phony reason
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excuse etc. (vindication) Vindication
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subterfuge
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color
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gloss, guise, cover. loop hole, starting hole
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how to creep out of, salvo, come off
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way of escape. handle, peg to hang on
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stalking-horse, cue. pretense etc. (untruth) Untruth
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put off, dust thrown in the eyes
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blind
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moonshine
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mere pretext, shallow pretext
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lame excuse, lame apology
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tub to a whale
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false plea, sour grapes
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makeshift, shift, white lie
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special pleading etc. (sophistry) Intuition. Sophistry [The absence of reasoning.] [False or vicious reasoning; show of reason.]
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soft sawder etc. (flattery) Flattery.
Verbs
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pretend, plead, allege
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shelter oneself under the plea of
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excuse etc. (vindicate) Vindication
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lend a color to
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furnish a handle etc. n.
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make a pretext of, make a handle of
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use as a plea etc. n.
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take one's stand upon, make capital out of, pretend etc. (lie) Falsehood.
Adverbs
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ostensibly
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under color
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under the plea, under the pretense of, under the guise of.