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
Julia Mueller, The Hill, 10 June 2025
One study published found good luck with using bait that included extracts from termite skin.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 9 June 2025
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The sheriff’s office began tracking Ed by drone, then tried to bait him with alfalfa after locating him in a field.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Noun
Still, some Democrats also acknowledge that pushback to Trump could become a political liability as images of chaos emerge from the demonstrations, warning protesters to stay peaceful and not take the bait.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 10 June 2025
One study published found good luck with using bait that included extracts from termite skin.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 9 June 2025
Verb
Sending in the National Guard was an obvious military flex, designed to to bait Angelenos while perhaps distracting Americans from Trump’s far greater troubles.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The sheriff’s office began tracking Ed by drone, then tried to bait him with alfalfa after locating him in a field.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait
Noun
-
Tournament officials are hoping that the lure of knockout rounds, the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final will help fill the stadiums in the coming weeks.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
-
The lure is rich tax credits and other production incentives and more stable markets to expand into.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
The Monist Trap: A temptation for leaders is to go a for a simple message, that is easy to remember but plays on a limited set of values.—
HEC Paris Insights,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Eurydice, like these other works, seems to be imploring us to live, to love, to remember—but so acute is the pain of loss that the temptation to forget is strong, and so artists keep revisiting it, keep testing the waters.—
Pamela Newton
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Rakeem Nunez-Roches taunted Hudson from the defensive sideline, and Hudson made the yapping sign with his hand back at him.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
-
The worse-than-blue has been hanging around for weeks, taunting me because tomorrow is my birthday.—
Susan Choi,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
But Phoenix ultimately wasn’t tempted by a package of Wiggins, Rozier, Jaquez, Highsmith and the 20th pick.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2025
-
Don’t be tempted to eat them straight off of the cookie sheet—this is the hardest part of making this recipe.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Researchers reviewing camera trap footage from a remote island off Panama found that a group of adolescent capuchin monkeys were routinely kidnapping baby howler monkeys and carrying them around like accessories.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
18 June 2025
-
One of the key challenges for companies is avoiding the trap of performative activism—actions that appear supportive but lack meaningful impact.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
Affectionately, the 35-year-old pop star is not known for setting or chasing trends, instead using fashion to tease new musical eras or evoke a sense of girl-next-door relatability.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
29 June 2025
-
The historic broadcast network began teasing the multiple Emmy winner’s birthday as early as June 13.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
She was also found guilty of disorderly conduct for supposedly trying to seduce an undercover policewoman named Margaret Leonard, who’d been assigned to entrap her.—
Kellie B. Gormly,
Smithsonian Magazine,
26 June 2025
-
The first classic of the summer noir genre is no doubt René Clément’s adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr. Ripley about a young American upstart who travels to Italy and murders a wealthy socialite before stealing his identity and seducing his wife.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Defaulted borrowers at risk of wage garnishment Student loan collections efforts had largely been on pause since the pandemic began in March 2020, but Trump administration officials have said that taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook when people don’t repay their education debt.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
-
The main hook was its more layered and mature take on the lore surrounding the character and the more fantastical mythology built around this specific story.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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