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Formation: N + を口実に / を口実にして / を口実として; V/A-plain + の + を口実に

X is given as the reason for an action, but the speaker implies it is not the real reason, only a convenient cover for avoiding something or doing what one wanted anyway. So it usually sounds critical or ironic. It is used in both speech and writing. Compare 〜にかこつけて, which is more literary and typically uses an occasion loosely connected to the act as a cover (出張にかこつけて観光する). を口実に says more openly that the reason is an excuse. Unlike 〜を機に, the occasion is not a real opportunity but a pretext.

Variants: 〜を口実にして、〜を口実として、〜を口実にする

Examples

• 彼は頭痛を口実に、会議を欠席した。
  He skipped the meeting, using a headache as an excuse.
• 取材を口実にして、有名人に近づく記者もいる。
  Some reporters use interviews as a pretext to get close to celebrities.
• 雨が降っているのを口実に、ジョギングをさぼった。
  I used the rain as an excuse to skip my run.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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