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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bait
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Go for individual bass around timber and rock with a buzz bait.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Eusexua also is poised to be awards bait in a year when Swift is not competing, and saccharine pop doesn’t always impress the Grammys’ industry voters who choose nominees by committee.
—Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Noun
Set out baits labeled for carpenter ants.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Go for individual bass around timber and rock with a buzz bait.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Amazon is really baiting us to breakup with our iPads by offering 50% off the newest generation of their Fire tablet.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Eusexua also is poised to be awards bait in a year when Swift is not competing, and saccharine pop doesn’t always impress the Grammys’ industry voters who choose nominees by committee.
—Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait
Noun
-
Verna insists the souls of the dead live within the alien ship, but Mitsuki resists the lure.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Have a walking-style top-water lure ready for bass schooling on the surface chasing shad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That troubling temptation to treat your phone like a magic portal to a better life finds an ideal personification in Tallulah (Odessa A’zion).—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Measure draw lengths before the shopping begins, and help your protégé resist the temptation to pull too much draw weight.—
The Editors,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The taunting penalty moved the Cowboys back 15 yards at a crucial juncture of the game.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The kickers were so poor that Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien could have been flagged for taunting by calling for a prevent defense at his own 31-yard line just before halftime.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
With fall flavors like cinnamon and pumpkin, the right cookie will tempt even the biggest pie fans.—
Macie Stump,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
-
That way, you aren’t tempted to doze on the couch or adult bed with the baby in your arms.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Jacob plots to seduce his employers and gain an advantage from their industry connections, but unwittingly walks into a trap.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
-
By moving the economy up the value chain, Beijing hopes to escape the middle-income trap and cement its status as a self-reliant tech superpower.—
Shaoyu Yuan,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Paul teased getting involved, but instead opted to leave the ring.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The Dodgers, however, weren’t the only ones eager to tease Drake after their big victory.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Guided by director David Lynch, Ladd had a field day with Marietta, who tries to seduce her daughter’s boyfriend (Nicolas Cage).—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Farrell plays John, the ambitious and chatty servant who is seduced by the mistress of the house (Jessica Chastain), as a nervous bundle of energy who becomes more agonized and frantic over the course of the film.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Prior to getting his first writing room break on Run, Cawsey wrote and starred in the webseries Right Now about a gay hook-ups, again inspired by his own experiences.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The two halves of the hook move independently, enabling the device to knit or purl depending on which part picks up the first loop.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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