bait and switch

noun

Definition of bait and switchnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bait and switch The company had long promised the protection as a default for Instagram chat, and experts fear that the bait and switch could set a dangerous precedent in the tech industry. — Matt Burgess, Wired News, 21 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for bait and switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait and switch
  1. switcheroo
  2. turnaround
  3. flip-flop
  4. turnabout
  5. renunciation
  6. volte-face
  7. second thought
  8. retraction
Noun
  • The laziness of the old-fashioned suitcase switcheroo device is part of the movie’s charm.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of switcheroo
Noun
  • Mattingly has since orchestrated a significant turnaround for the Phillies, now serving as their interim manager and coaching in the National League All-Star dugout.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • The Fijians were tough and clinical in a huge turnaround from last weekend when they were humiliated by England 73-8 in Liverpool.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of turnaround
Noun
  • The heeled flip-flop keeps the comfortability and casualness of the open-toed sandal, but the heel adds a sophisticated touch.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 21 July 2026
  • His wife wore a relaxed but put-together look that included wide-legged trousers and a deep red T-shirt, pairing her outfit with black leather flip-flops.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 20 July 2026
Definition of flip-flop
Noun
  • Abbott’s campaign season turnabout on data centers doesn’t seem to have soothed many.
    — Marc Levy, Fortune, 23 July 2026
  • The jump in oil prices over recent weeks marked a turnabout for crude costs, which account for a large share of the price of auto gasoline.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of turnabout
Noun
  • Then, over the following years, came sustainability and strict reuse and ascetic renunciation, and today, finally, its photo series and articles advocated for a mild, slightly quirky anticapitalist metaphysics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
  • Indeed, both the United States and Canada permit voluntary renunciation.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of renunciation
Noun
  • Another meeting was scheduled for next week with the club’s media team and, though Pereira has experience of working with Marinakis previously at Olympiacos in Greece, the whole volte-face appears to have completely caught him out.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • This volte-face was not just about electoral politics.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Definition of volte-face
Noun
  • Subscriptions like Billie cover this for you without a second thought.
    — Sabina Wizemann, Good Housekeeping, 30 Nov. 2022
  • In America, the allure of material comfort is accepted without a second thought.
    — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2022
Definition of second thought
Noun
  • Hearing that a single lab test did not confirm the presence of the parasite might be confusing—but one data point, like a negative test or a retraction, does not automatically mean public health investigators have it wrong.
    — Lisa Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The retraction has reportedly left Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, furious as well.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 7 July 2026
Definition of retraction

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Cite this Entry

“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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