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 Then came rideshare, first hooking us all on super-cheap fares and driving the cab companies to the wall, only to reveal the bait and switch and amp up the fares even as amateur drivers blocked our streets. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026 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 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
  • But to the market and some of the people who run its stalls and booths, the last-minute Malibu switcheroo was less than ideal.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The switcheroo trend is one more lighthearted example of internet prank culture, with successful clips in the genre using comically obvious edits to highlight the misdirection and avoid any real danger of defamation.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of switcheroo
Noun
  • Behind Earl, who started at wide receiver and also played safety, North Chicago orchestrated a one-week turnaround for the ages, putting its 61-12 season-opening loss to Zion-Benton in the rearview mirror.
    — Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Church & Dwight Analyst Anna Lizzul said in a recent note to clients that Church & Dwight management is pulling all the right levers in its turnaround.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of turnaround
Noun
  • My mom’s longtime favorite flip-flops have a super impressive discount today, so act fast to snap them up before summer officially comes to a close.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Almost half of traders, portfolio managers and strategists in a recent Bloomberg poll support wearing shorts to work, but men in Silicon Valley are turning away from the look of the scruffy tech genius in shorts and flip-flops.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of flip-flop
Noun
  • In a surprising turnabout, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art canceled a John Galliano exhibition that was due to open next spring, in what would have been the Costume Institute‘s big May 2027 show, held in tandem with the notorious Met Gala.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The turnabout led to a statewide recount that took weeks, cost more than $260,000 and ultimately reaffirmed Prosser's reelection.
    — Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of turnabout
Noun
  • This renunciation has had little impact on their progeny, who already studied them for years and viewed their content as a portrait of a viable future.
    — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of renunciation
Noun
  • Love was unclear on the reasons for her volte-face, but speculated that Sky had failed to convince Bake Off stars like Paul Hollywood to make the switch.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The volte-face in transfer strategy is not necessarily negative.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 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
  • The unit requires zero maintenance on its retraction element and offers standard mounting configurations for leading industrial robot platforms, including KUKA, ABB, and FANUC.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • False information is incorrect and may require a correction or retraction.
    — Victoria Marshall, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of retraction

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bait and switch
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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 5 Sep. 2026.

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