All cover story synonyms

noun cover story

• reason — a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.: the reason for declaring war.
• justification — a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends: His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.
• alibi — If you have an alibi, you can prove that you were somewhere else when a crime was committed.
• apology — An apology is something that you say or write in order to tell someone that you are sorry that you have hurt them or caused trouble for them.
• trick — a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.
• rationalization — to ascribe (one's acts, opinions, etc.) to causes that superficially seem reasonable and valid but that actually are unrelated to the true, possibly unconscious and often less creditable or agreeable causes.
• pretext — something that is put forward to conceal a true purpose or object; an ostensible reason; excuse: The leaders used the insults as a pretext to declare war.
• substitute — a person or thing acting or serving in place of another.
• ploy — a maneuver or stratagem, as in conversation, to gain the advantage.
• ruse — a city in N Bulgaria, on the Danube.
• guise — François de Lorraine [frahn-swa duh law-ren] /frɑ̃ˈswa də lɔˈrɛn/ (Show IPA), 2nd Duc de, 1519–63, French general and statesman.
• pretense — pretending or feigning; make-believe: My sleepiness was all pretense.
• whitewash — a composition, as of lime and water or of whiting, size, and water, used for whitening walls, woodwork, etc.
• disguise — to change the appearance or guise of so as to conceal identity or mislead, as by means of deceptive garb: The king was disguised as a peasant.
• defense — the act or power of defending, or guarding against attack, harm, or danger
• story — a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.
• stopgap — something that fills the place of something else that is lacking; temporary substitute; makeshift: Candles are a stopgap when the electricity fails.
• makeshift — a temporary expedient or substitute: We used boxes as a makeshift while the kitchen chairs were being painted.
• mitigation — the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances: Social support is the most important factor in the mitigation of stress among adolescents.
• routine — subroutine
• semblance — outward aspect or appearance.
• song — Ailing [ahy-ling] /ˈaɪˈlɪŋ/ (Show IPA), Soong, Ai-ling.
• plea — an appeal or entreaty: a plea for mercy.
• vindication — the act of vindicating.
• shift — to put (something) aside and replace it by another or others; change or exchange: to shift friends; to shift ideas.
• cover — If you cover something, you place something else over it in order to protect it, hide it, or close it.
• stall — a pretext, as a ruse, trick, or the like, used to delay or deceive.
• subterfuge — an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.
• grounds — the solid surface of the earth; firm or dry land: to fall to the ground.
• jive — swing music or early jazz.
• cleanup — A cleanup is the removing of dirt, pollution, crime, or corruption from somewhere.
• stratagem — a plan, scheme, or trick for surprising or deceiving an enemy.
• show — to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
• color — the sensation resulting from stimulation of the retina of the eye by light waves of certain lengths
• appearance — When someone makes an appearance at a public event or in a broadcast, they take part in it.
• device — A device is an object that has been invented for a particular purpose, for example for recording or measuring something.
• affectation — If you say that someone's attitude or behaviour is an affectation, you disapprove of the fact that it is not genuine or natural, but is intended to impress other people.
• simulation — imitation or enactment, as of something anticipated or in testing.
• coloring — The coloring of something is the color or colors that it is.
• mask — a form of aristocratic entertainment in England in the 16th and 17th centuries, originally consisting of pantomime and dancing but later including dialogue and song, presented in elaborate productions given by amateur and professional actors.
• cloak — A cloak is a long, loose, sleeveless piece of clothing which people used to wear over their other clothes when they went out.
• masquerade — a party, dance, or other festive gathering of persons wearing masks and other disguises, and often elegant, historical, or fantastic costumes.
• feint — a movement made in order to deceive an adversary; an attack aimed at one place or point merely as a distraction from the real place or point of attack: military feints; the feints of a skilled fencer.
• bluff — A bluff is an attempt to make someone believe that you will do something when you do not really intend to do it.
• front — the foremost part or surface of anything.
• veil — a piece of opaque or transparent material worn over the face for concealment, for protection from the elements, or to enhance the appearance.
• cover-up — any action, stratagem, or other means of concealing or preventing investigation or exposure.
• face — the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin.
• fish story — an exaggerated or incredible story: It was just another one of his fish stories.
• song and dance — a story or statement, especially an untrue or misleading one designed to evade the matter at hand: Every time he's late, he gives me a song and dance about oversleeping.