| face(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| feint(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| fig leaf(noun, expression, cause, con, excuse) |
| front(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| guise(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| loophole |
| mask(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| masquerade(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| nixing(noun, equivocation, dissimulation, fugiviteness) |
| palliation(noun, action, claim, statement, excuse) |
| pleading(noun, action, claim, statement, excuse) |
| ploy(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| pretence |
| pretense(noun, cause, con, excuse, equivocation) |
| profession(noun, reason, case, account, explanation) |
| proof(noun, reason, case, account, explanation) |
| quibbling routine(noun, expression, equivocation, dissimulation, transposition) |
| reason(noun, trick, explanation, excuse, dodge) |
| red herring(noun, expression, cause, con, excuse) |
| regrets(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |