bait and switch

noun

1

: a sales tactic in which a customer is attracted by the advertisement of a low-priced item but is then encouraged to buy a higher-priced one

2

: the ploy of offering a person something desirable to gain favor (such as political support) then thwarting expectations with something less desirable

Examples of bait and switch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Duel did not respond to a request for comment regarding the alleged bait and switch. —Miles Klee, Wired News, 7 May 2026

His responses to our questionnaire — especially on the trash fee bait and switch — were the best of the four candidates. —U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026

Then came rideshare, first hooking us all on super-cheap fares and driving the cab companies to the wall, only to reveal the bait and switch and amp up the fares even as amateur drivers blocked our streets. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026

But in classic O’Brien fashion, the sincerity turned out to be a bait and switch that gave rise to a bit of absurdist flight of fancy. —Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bait and switch

• bewitch
• distich
• enrich
• bitch
• ditch
• fiche
• glitch
• hitch
• ich
• itch
• kitsch
• lich

Legal Definition

bait and switch

noun

: a fraudulent or deceptive sales practice in which a purchaser is attracted by advertisement of a low-priced item but then is encouraged to purchase a higher-priced one

called also bait advertising