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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Bank of America downgrades General Mills to neutral from buy Bank of America said the turnaround is taking longer than expected.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2026
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Mathurin, the Clippers’ second scoring option, supported Leonard’s effort with 21 points, including a 14-foot turnaround jumper at the buzzer that gave the Clippers an 89-88 lead at the end of the third quarter.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ahmed wore a black T-shirt, flip-flops, and navy-blue gym shorts; his eyes darted around constantly.—
Elizabeth Flock,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
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The company sells flip-flops and related items online and through retailers.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Recent presidential-election trends illustrate this turnabout.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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Since Virginia is one of the few purple states remaining, this sudden turnabout reveals where Democrats and Republicans disagree on higher education.—
Andy Smarick,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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British psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, who took part in a peyote ceremony with a First Nations group the Red Pheasant Band in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1956, intuited the necessity of community, empathy, and ego renunciation during the psychedelic process.—
Erica Rex,
STAT,
19 Feb. 2026
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Keep in mind, though, that renunciation is considered permanent.—
Liz Weston,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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
-
Steele has denied that accusation and demanded a retraction.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
China denounced her and demanded a retraction.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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