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

Related Words

Relevance

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
  • All told the school estimates more than 250 staffers spent some 11,000 hours in meetings, photo shoots and sessions with internal groups, individual teams, adidas partners and campus stakeholders to pull off the switcheroo.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The laziness of the old-fashioned suitcase switcheroo device is part of the movie’s charm.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of switcheroo
Noun
  • Instead, the Red Sox have engineered one of baseball's most remarkable midseason turnarounds, putting themselves squarely back into the American League playoff race.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The Hoosiers’ rapid turnaround from longtime Big Ten bottom dweller to 16-0 national champion in Cignetti’s second season was a popular topic.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of turnaround
Noun
  • These flip-flops are made from a lightweight foam designed to form to your foot for total support and comfort.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Spotted on the Spring 2025 and Spring 2026 runways, respectively, the trend feels especially fresh when paired with a flowy maxi skirt and flip-flops, creating an outfit perfectly suited for August’s hottest days.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 31 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
  • So why, Ghosh wonders, are such rapid turnabouts so rarely present in the genre?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 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
  • The volte-face in transfer strategy is not necessarily negative.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 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
  • Advertisement Despite its retraction nearly three months later, Blanche indicated amid his Judiciary hearing last month that there may be avenues for the settlement to proceed in the future, such as advancing through Congress.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The misleading comments and images posted by Vance, Jenrick, Farage, and Weidel nevertheless remain online, with no correction or retraction.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of retraction

Browse Nearby Words

bait
bait and switch
bait and switches
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All