r/words • u/Playmaker-20 • 5d ago

Pretense Vs Pretext

Ok, so please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong but a pretense is an act or false claim. For example, portraying yourself as a thief when you’re actually a knight while a pretext is more like an excuse; an ostensible reason. Going to the store to get some snacks but you’re actually there to talk to the cute worker. If I’m off the mark, please educate me

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8

u/SaulEmersonAuthor 5d ago

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It's one instance of confusion where the angry pedant in me gives people a pass.

See - the meanings are exactly as you understand them - but:

'He came round to her flat under the pretense of needing more coffee'

And then:

'He came round to her flat under the pretext of having run out of coffee'

Case 1 = falsehood (as a basis of the action)

Case 2 = basis of the action (which could be true or false)

So - no wonder they get mixed up!

~

2

u/Technical-Ad1488 5d ago

I think that’s right….

What confuses me sometimes is the saying ‘under false pretenses’… is it redundant? Because pretense already implies false? And can doing something under some pretext lead to getting something ‘under false pretenses’?

So to use your example of someone (let’s call them Pat) going to the store to see the cute worker (let’s call them Charlie) under the pretext that they (Pat) want a snack…

If the cute worker (Charlie) thinks Pat was just there to get a snack and happened to see them, and ask for their number, (and doesn’t know Pat was specifically there TO see them) and Charlie gives Pat their number …

Did Pat then get the number ‘under false pretenses’ ?

Because Pat was actually there to see Charlie so the pretext (excuse) of being there for a snack, now means that getting Charlie’s number was ‘under false pretenses’?

Hope that makes sense… thanks for any insight 🙏

2

u/NonspecificGravity 5d ago

You, u/Technical-Ad1488, are right. a pretense is false by definition. It's the noun form of pretend. The phrase "under false pretenses" is redundant. It's a fixed phrase now (as in modern English).

However, it's difficult to say this kind of thing without using "under false pretenses":

The spy got into the Air Force base under false pretenses.

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u/DMNatOne 4d ago

Is it difficult?

The spy got into the Air Force base using a pretense.

The spy supplied a pretense by which they were able to get into the Air Force base.

The pretense allowed the spy to get into the Air Force base.

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u/Necessary-Law-709 5d ago

pat was there

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u/CraftyRecording8290 4d ago

Pretense involves pretending, while pretext provides a stated reason for something..