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.
—
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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Reeves, Rogen, and Ansari, post-switcheroo.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
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The pet parent shared video evidence of the switcheroo on TikTok (@autmuns_zoo24), where the clip went viral, amassing over 1 million views.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Field conditions have occasionally been a problem, especially on short turnarounds between games.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Its first-quarter results were better than Wall Street’s estimates, reflecting progress in its turnaround.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stay away from sneakers in favor of dressier footwear like strappy heels, flip-flops, and penny loafers.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
9 Oct. 2025
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For new creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, the flip-flop trend is sticking around next year.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
8 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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His turnabout occurred as DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet were gathering in Orlando at the Florida Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters for a press conference at which the governor announced the creation of a new immigration enforcement unit within the patrol.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 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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The retraction is just the latest blow for a product that has been a darling of celebrities and influencers.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
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Higher interest rates, a capital market retraction and a push by almost all venture capital into artificial intelligence collectively hit property tech hard.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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