1
as in lure
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap
cheese is the traditional bait for trapping mice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in temptation
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
the promise of free vacation is surefire bait to get people to agree to be chaperones for school trips
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to taunt
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
I wished the candidates would stop baiting each other and instead address the real issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lure
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
the investment scheme cunningly baits the greedy and the unscrupulous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bait
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
To make your own baits, mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 3 tablespoons each of sugar and water.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Most bait fishermen, however, are extremely conservative.
—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bait
Noun
Not everyone has taken the bait.
—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
To make your own baits, mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 3 tablespoons each of sugar and water.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
Verb
Police conducted a controversial sting operation involving an undercover policewoman, who contacted Stagg through a personals ad and tried to bait him into confessing to Nickell’s murder by posing as a romantic interest.
—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Most bait fishermen, however, are extremely conservative.
—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait
Noun
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Is the artificiality and structural restriction of the majority of the season a lure for a show on the verge of going thoroughly bonkers in its finale?
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Food and drink Fine dining is perhaps the biggest lure for One&One One Za’abeel, with a host of starry venues from leading chefs in The Link, including La Dame De Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic; DuangDy by Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones of Bangkok’s Bo.
Noun
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Feuchuk cautions against the temptation to compensate by extracting more revenue from existing members.
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Sports Minister Marie Barsacq urged caution, warning against swimming in unauthorized or hazardous areas despite the temptation to cool off.
Verb
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The groove passes between them without ever quite resolving, each jolt followed by a pocket of silence that feels almost taunting.
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Neither incidents involved taunting players from the opposing team, and both of those techs have reportedly been rescinded.
Verb
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You may be tempted to make your way down to the beach at the bottom, but beware!
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The whirlwind three-hour tour took us into the heart of the city, first to Mısır Çarşısı, or the Egyptian Bazaar, filled with aromatic spices and tempting Turkish delight, then to the stunning Rüstem Pasha Mosque, which was built in 1561.
Noun
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The lone bright spot from the midfield was the solid presence of Pedri who played out of position and still had a decent all-around performance, but even he was criticized by many on social media for falling into a familiar trap.
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Golden State sent more traps than usual and didn’t allow the former Notre Dame standout to get clean looks at the rim or from the 3-point line.
Verb
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Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, took over as chief executive of Relativity a little more than a year ago, teasing new areas of focus such as orbital data centers, philanthropic space science ventures, and national security missions.
-
The singer has been teasing the song on tour this summer.
Verb
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The writer thinks that the person seducing the main character is just some flotsam, hardly worth a second look.
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Blyth was nominated in the supporting role as Mildred's spoiled daughter, Veda, who seduces her mother's second husband (Zachary Scott), then riddles him with bullets in a jealous rage.
Noun
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Daniel takes advantage of this momentary distraction to deliver a left hook, right punch to the gut, asking Lestat about his maker, Magnus (Damien Atkins).
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For possibly the easiest method to line-dry your clothes, opt for a budget-friendly clothesline like this design that doesn’t require any hooks, spacers, or hangers.
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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