THESAURUS
cover story
alibi, apology, blind, cloak, color, cover, cover-up, device, excuse, facade, feint, front, gloss, guise, handle, lame excuse, locus standi, mask, ostensible motive, poor excuse, pretense, pretension, pretext, protestation, public motive, put-off, refuge, screen, semblance, sham, show, smoke screen, stalking-horse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, varnish, veil
