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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bait
Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Listen, people want the rage bait.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The property includes a hilltop luxury home, a guest house, a nine-hole putting and chipping green, as well as a 5-acre bass fishing lake equipped with a boat dock, bait shack and an outdoor pavilion.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bait
Noun
As federal agents try to scare and provoke, in a way that could easily undermine the cause, such training is essential to ensure peaceful protesters do not take the bait.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Listen, people want the rage bait.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Participants must bring their own gear and bait and follow all fishing regulations.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The property includes a hilltop luxury home, a guest house, a nine-hole putting and chipping green, as well as a 5-acre bass fishing lake equipped with a boat dock, bait shack and an outdoor pavilion.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait
Noun
-
That is a tiny lure with a narrow eyelet that rebuffs multiple attempts to thread tippet that's as fine as spider web silk.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
And while a combination of Tagovailoa’s poor play in 2025 as well as the Dolphins’ cap constraints prevent the franchise from dealing the former Alabama standout to replace him with Willis, the newfound Packers connection that currently runs through the organization could be a potential lure.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The temptation of new styles constantly beckons the fashion-minded, but the wallets?—
Shelby Comroe,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
-
There’s no temptation to work with bigger budgets either.—
Barry Levitt,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These are the mysterious strings of letters and symbols, purportedly revealing the Zodiac’s motive and identity, that the killer included in letters sent to Bay Area newspapers to taunt police and terrorize the public.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Otamendi also appeared to taunt Vinicius Jr at one point, lifting his shirt to show a tattoo of the World Cup trophy the 38-year-old centre-back won with Argentina in 2022.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
She may be tempted to revise Article 9 of the Constitution, which bans maintaining a military and going to war.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
-
As systems act more autonomously and with greater speed, humans would be tempted to abdicate decision making in order to leverage their power.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
True School Freedom Act empowers parents with universal choice—no zip code traps.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
If the federal government insists on misusing courts as traps rather than the place where disputes are legally hashed out, then our justice system needs to find safe ways for people to appear.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There’s Manny, Zitzs and EZ, who has a way with the girls; Izzy, an abused boy who hides his family’s secrets, and Gloria, as good at sports as the boys and so fierce nobody teases her little sister about her stutter.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Humphrey's work consists of reviewing thousands of messages and tags, seeking permission from original video creators and balancing humor with teasing.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Such reflection also shows us how easily scoring systems can seduce us.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
While the most obvious go-to target audience for Wuthering Heights is older females, the studio’s marketing team also worked hard to seduce Gen Zers and younger Millennials, as reflected by much of the ad campaign.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For every young punk whose pedigree makes chasing mainstream attention feel a little like, say, nakedly swimming after a dollar on a fishing hook, there was someone else who saw it as an opportunity to escape their hometown and never look back.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Clean the brush, shake it out in the tub, then hang it from the hook to finish drying.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
