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.
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Scrubs stars Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke pulled a little switcheroo and posed with Tom Hiddleston.
Noun
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Nike is expected to report fourth quarter earnings on June 30, with its turnaround taking longer than initially expected.
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Jeff said the hire reinforces the Club’s bullish view on Intel’s turnaround and the long-term potential of its foundry business.
Noun
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The defining styles range from classic leather flip-flops embellished with subtle beading to lace-up flat sandals and jelly styles that go all-in on playful whimsy.
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Elevated Flip-Flops Speaking of flip-flops, there’s no question that thong sandals are the It shoe of summer 2026.
Noun
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The turnabout in the market has been swift for prospective buyers.
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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.
Noun
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Despite a 2019 public renunciation, MSV secretly governs 70% of public firms, hindering true economic progress.
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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.
Noun
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This volte-face was not just about electoral politics.
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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.
Noun
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Subscriptions like Billie cover this for you without a second thought.
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In America, the allure of material comfort is accepted without a second thought.
Noun
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The sudden arrival and eventual retraction of aggressive new tariff policies may have also played a role in last year’s sluggish hiring numbers.
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Other signs can include skin dimpling, nipple retraction or discharge.
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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