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

Read: The bait and switch of Trump’s tariffs Perhaps that reality is why some of the major industry unions reacted to Trump’s post with muted support. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 May 2025

Kenan Thompson, Marcello Hernández, and Bowen Yang lead a sweet song until — wait — thankful bait and switch! —EW.com, 11 May 2025

Is this yet another case of bait and switch, offering the promise of region-wide events but only delivering content in San Francisco? —Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025

To say this feels like a bait and switch is an understatement, and such outcomes dramatically undermine any trust built earlier. —Kelly Hopping, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025

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