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
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
Medicare Advantage is a bait and switch scam & betrayal.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Gloria’s key allies in this bait and switch were Councilmembers Joe LaCava and Sean Elo-Rivera.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait and switch
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
Medicare Advantage is a bait and switch scam & betrayal.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Gloria’s key allies in this bait and switch were Councilmembers Joe LaCava and Sean Elo-Rivera.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait and switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait and switch
Noun
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To have eight minutes of jokes also function as the setup for one big fat switcheroo is rare, impressive, and difficult to orchestrate.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
21 Oct. 2025
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Reeves, Rogen, and Ansari, post-switcheroo.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While some of these chains have faced ongoing issues, others are experiencing abrupt downturns after enjoying recent periods of strength — with no turnaround in sight.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
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Cunningham was the main driver of the sharp turnaround with his 26 points per game and seventh-place finish in MVP voting.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Hailey Bieber was out and about in Los Angeles on Thursday and traded in her high heels for a pair of comfortable flip-flops from The Row.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
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People worked in flip-flops and bathing suits; some slept in their offices.—
tom freston,
Vulture,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The plunge – just the latest in a string of sales drops for Musk’s once-hot EV maker – underscores the turnabout in Tesla’s fortunes.—
Ryan Hogg,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
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Recent weeks have brought a turnabout for India, which was confident that its importance to the United States and the rapport between its prime minister, Narendra Modi, and Mr. Trump would earn it a reprieve.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Sweet Dove Died is considered Pym’s most Jamesian work and there are inflections of the Master in the themes of falling out of love, renunciation, and collecting—the pursuit of beauty falling short.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
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Oddly, the move comes not as a renunciation but as a new adventure.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Britain is not the only country pressed into making a volte-face.—
London Business School,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
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The realities of Putin’s momentum, coupled with Washington’s volte-face, have led to a clear mood shift in Kyiv.—
Daryna Mayer,
NBC News,
13 Feb. 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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However, a Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet spokesperson said Wayfair requested a retraction of the notice that same day.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Oct. 2025
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That letter should be followed with a retraction.—
Paul Craney,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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