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Pretext vs Excuse - What's the difference?

pretext | excuse | Synonyms |

Excuse is a synonym of pretext.



As nouns the difference between pretext and excuse

is that pretext is a false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense while excuse is an explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.

As verbs the difference between pretext and excuse

is that pretext is to employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else while excuse is to forgive; to pardon.

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

    * *

    excuse

    English

    Verb

    (excus)
  • To forgive; to pardon.
    • I excused him his transgressions.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I must excuse what cannot be amended.
  • * Archbishop Sharp
    • A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practising it, if really and indeed it be against God's law.
  • To allow to leave.
    • May I be excused from the table?
    I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.
  • To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
    • You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!
  • To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.
  • * Bible, 2. Corinthians xii. 19
    • Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?

    Synonyms

    * forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt

    Derived terms

    * excuse me * excuse my French

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.
    • Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses !
  • (legal) A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which legal consequences would normally be appropriate, but asserts that special circumstances relieve that party of culpability for having done those acts.
  • An example.(attention)
    • That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?
    He's a sorry excuse of a doctor.

    Usage notes

    * We often say to make an excuse.

    Synonyms

    * (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment ): pretext

    External links

    * * English heteronyms ----