0 done or used as a pretext (= a pretended reason for doing something that is used to hide the real reason):
The reasons given by defense counsel were not genuine and were pretextual.
The explanation for her firing was pretextual and influenced instead by a retaliatory motive.
The government used pretextual arrests to keep the activists tied up in court.
He has offered no evidence whatsoever to show that those reasons are a sham or pretextual.
There was no evidence to support the allegation that the traffic stop was pretextual (race based) in nature.
Therefore, these motions for resolution seem pointless and pretextual.
That is a pretextual argument!
Defendant presented a coherent explanation for the structure of the market and plaintiff did not claim this explanation was pretextual.
Third, the trial court must decide whether the explanation is pretextual.
A rationale is pretextual if it applies equally to a similarly situated juror who was seated.
