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Apology vs Pretext - What's the difference?

apology | pretext | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between apology and pretext

is that apology is an expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry) while pretext is a false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.

As a verb pretext is

to employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.

apology

English

(wikipedia apology)

Alternative forms

* apologie (archaic)

Noun

(apologies)
  • An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry).
    • What he said really hurt my feelings, but his apology sounded so sincere that I couldn't help but forgive him.
    The CEO made a public apology for the scandal, and promised full cooperation with the authorities.
  • A formal justification, defence.
    • The Apology of Socrates.
  • Anything provided as a substitute; a makeshift.
    • a poor apology for a hotel room
  • * Charles Dickens
    • He goes to work devising apologies for window curtains.

    Synonyms

    * (formal justification) apologia

    Derived terms

    * apologian, apologist, apologize, apologizer, preapology

    Related terms

    * apologetic; apologetics; apologia

    See also

    * remorse

    External links

    * *

    pretext

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.
    • The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=When that metaphor proves untenable, he switches to insisting that women are like beer but that’s mainly as a pretext to drink until he passes out in a father-son bonding haze.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (Pretexting) (en verb)
  • To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.
    • The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.

    Synonyms

    * blag (UK)

    See also

    * (Social engineering)

    External links

    * *