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Glite Dictionary
🎭 A false excuse 🕵️ To pretend to get
to pretext

to pretext

8.9
To get information or access by pretending to be someone else
  • verb
  • /ˈpriːtɛkst/
translation icon : hacerse pasar por
  • The hacker was pretexting as a company manager to gain access to confidential files.

Examples

  • The thief used pretext to access sensitive information by posing as a trusted employee.

  • Security experts warn employees about the dangers of pretexting in social engineering attacks.

  • She reported that someone had been pretexting her bank to obtain her account details.

  • Don't pretext as a police officer!

  • He pretexted as a security officer.

  • She was caught pretexting as an IT technician to gather personal data from unsuspecting employees.

  • The journalist engaged in pretexting to uncover the truth behind the company's shady practices.

How Deceptive

to defraud
  • Formal
40 6.9
to pretext
8.9
to pose
172 6.1
to pretend
∞ 2.3

Surface Forms

pretext infinitive
pretexted past
pretexted past participle
pretexting present participle
pretexts third person singular

Etymology

Pretext as a verb comes from the same Latin parts prae- 'before' and texere 'to weave', and a helpful image is 'weaving' a story in front of the truth. So to pretext or to be pretexting is to pretend or use a false identity to get information or access.