as in switcheroo
US
a selling method in which a customer is attracted by the advertisement of a low-priced product but then is encouraged to buy a more expensive one
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Recent Examples of bait and switch
With the sudden reveal that most of these kids aren’t our heroes after all, Welcome to Derry delivers a stunning bait and switch.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
In the end, the comedic payoff often comes from the fact that the Truth Teller’s work isn’t very good—a curious bait and switch, if the show truly does aspire to prove the worth of dogged, ethical accountability reporting.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
This subtle bait and switch from a national identity crisis to a personal identity crisis is imaginative and, for a time, intriguing, with Gadebois doing some very heavy lifting as the bad guy that means well but, nevertheless, behaves appallingly.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait and switch
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
In the end, the comedic payoff often comes from the fact that the Truth Teller’s work isn’t very good—a curious bait and switch, if the show truly does aspire to prove the worth of dogged, ethical accountability reporting.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
This subtle bait and switch from a national identity crisis to a personal identity crisis is imaginative and, for a time, intriguing, with Gadebois doing some very heavy lifting as the bad guy that means well but, nevertheless, behaves appallingly.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait and switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait and switch
Noun
-
Republicans have held the Senate 12 times, Democrats 11 times (though one involved a switcheroo).—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
16 Jan. 2026
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Mini Kim and mini Khloé pulled a switcheroo with their T-shirts — a favorite pastime of theirs, according to Khloé, who posted this adorable pic.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Now, the league’s most incredible one-year turnaround is nearing a conclusion.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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By throwing for 4,048 yards, a career-high completion percentage and helping Seattle earn the NFC's top seed in the playoffs, Darnold's season suggested his turnaround in Minnesota was no fluke.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Beijing is also well aware that American democracy is inherently prone to flip-flops and that the hard-line Washington consensus on China is likely to return with the next election.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
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Pack non-slip shoes with good grip on the bottom, like this pair of Lavau flip-flops.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The turnabout is particularly evident in the tech sector, where five-day in-office weeks are now commonplace.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2026
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Canada’s complicated relationship with China Friday’s deal in Beijing marks a turnabout in Canadian policy.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The duo’s renunciation has its limits, though.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
8 Dec. 2025
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The Court held that Congress has no power under the Constitution to divest a person of his United States citizenship absent his voluntary renunciation of it.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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This volte-face was not just about electoral politics.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
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The Kremlin has denied any such request was made, which tells you something about how Moscow views the optics of this diplomatic volte-face.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Subscriptions like Billie cover this for you without a second thought.—
Sabina Wizemann,
Good Housekeeping,
30 Nov. 2022
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In America, the allure of material comfort is accepted without a second thought.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
20 Nov. 2022
Noun
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An honest newspaper would print a large retraction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
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Since Cohn had signed the letter asking for retraction, the lead inquirer did not report to him.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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