pretextual
adjective uk/ˌpriːˈteks.tʃu.əl/ us/ˌpriːˈteks.tʃu.əl/
作为借口的，作为托词的
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. 辩护律师提出的理由并不真实，是借口。
The explanation for her firing was pretextual and influenced instead by a retaliatory motive. 所给出的解雇她的理由不过是借口，是受到报复性动机的影响。
- More examples
- 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.