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
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.
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Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Medicare Advantage is a bait and switch scam & betrayal.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
The first movie offered a bit of a bait and switch with a plot about a group of unlikely allies trying to survive a zombie outbreak evolving into something else entirely.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 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
Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Medicare Advantage is a bait and switch scam & betrayal.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
The first movie offered a bit of a bait and switch with a plot about a group of unlikely allies trying to survive a zombie outbreak evolving into something else entirely.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 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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Wednesday evening’s quarterly results from July to September showed progress in Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s turnaround plan.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
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Plus, paid brand partnerships and campaigns will require similarly quick turnarounds.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Carmen wore a gray hoodie and blue jeans, accessorizing with black flip-flops and a tan bag.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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For the launch, the debut ERL flip-flop came in three distinct styles — Low, Big and Huge.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
21 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 31 Oct. 2025.
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