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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Thailand gives us two of the year’s most impressive turnaround stories.—
Andrew Staples,
Fortune,
16 June 2026
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So far, her turnaround efforts have involved offering more value meals and bringing back Colonel Sanders.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Her black thong sandals combined the toe post and nearly bare upper of a flip-flop with a slim kitten heel.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
14 June 2026
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Just ask style mavens Katie Holmes and Jennifer Aniston, who have both been spotted wearing the uber-comfortable Archies flip-flops.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
14 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
-
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
-
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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Other signs can include skin dimpling, nipple retraction or discharge.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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