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
But in classic O’Brien fashion, the sincerity turned out to be a bait and switch that gave rise to a bit of absurdist flight of fancy.
—
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Everything was back to normal by the end of the episode, but this was anything but a mere bait and switch.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 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
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Everything was back to normal by the end of the episode, but this was anything but a mere bait and switch.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 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
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The switcheroo that the director pulls between the two protagonists, starting her film with Said but then losing him for a chunk of the running time, can also prove a bit aggravating, especially because actor Letifov (who was also in Western) has such a photogenic face.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2026
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Scrubs stars Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke pulled a little switcheroo and posed with Tom Hiddleston.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Noun
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This is a 17-point turnaround by New York.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
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The intense Laviolette became known for creating aggressive offensive attacks and making quick franchise turnarounds in his previous stops.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
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While knee-high boots are ideal for a concert or a shopping day, don’t be afraid to go casual via thin sneakers or flip-flops.—
India Roby,
Glamour,
8 June 2026
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The exhibit features more than 25 marine creatures, each one constructed from bottles, flip-flops, toys, toothbrushes and other debris collected through beach clean-ups.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Noun
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The turnabout in the market has been swift for prospective buyers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
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The biggest factors contributing to the slight turnabout were patient centricity — which refers to prioritizing patient needs — and ensuring patient safety, according to PatientView, a research firm that canvassed patient groups from 35 countries between December 2025 and March 2026.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
5 May 2026
Noun
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Carney is a moralist, a filmmaker of fidelity—and of renunciation, depicting the romantic near-misses and what-ifs that his characters leave behind.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
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The numbers from the report are compiled from citizenship renunciation records, overseas residency registrations and survey data tracking American interest in living overseas.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
28 May 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
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Additionally, the inadvertent retractor pretensioner deployment, in some cases, can also cause injury to the occupant due to rapid seatbelt retraction.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Winter 2026 matched the frigid relationship between Japan and China as there was a significant retraction in the series following Prime Minister Takaichi’s statement about Taiwan in November 2025.—
Kalai Chik,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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