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
With the sudden reveal that most of these kids aren’t our heroes after all, Welcome to Derry delivers a stunning bait and switch.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
In the end, the comedic payoff often comes from the fact that the Truth Teller’s work isn’t very good—a curious bait and switch, if the show truly does aspire to prove the worth of dogged, ethical accountability reporting.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 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
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Democrats worry there's a chance this option is a bait and switch, Grisales says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
In the end, the comedic payoff often comes from the fact that the Truth Teller’s work isn’t very good—a curious bait and switch, if the show truly does aspire to prove the worth of dogged, ethical accountability reporting.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 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
-
Republicans have held the Senate 12 times, Democrats 11 times (though one involved a switcheroo).—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
16 Jan. 2026
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Mini Kim and mini Khloé pulled a switcheroo with their T-shirts — a favorite pastime of theirs, according to Khloé, who posted this adorable pic.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images To reach the Super Bowl, the Patriots engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in NFL history.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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On the other hand, the quick turnaround time of short-haul flights can also put your belongings at risk.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Minutes earlier, former reality television star Spencer Pratt stepped out of his Ford F150 and changed from flip-flops into sneakers before walking into the building to file his declaration to run for mayor.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Recent presidential-election trends illustrate this turnabout.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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Since Virginia is one of the few purple states remaining, this sudden turnabout reveals where Democrats and Republicans disagree on higher education.—
Andy Smarick,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Annual renunciations surged to a record high of 6,705 in 2020, with numbers remaining elevated ever since, according to immigration services company Boundless.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
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Oddly, the move comes not as a renunciation but as a new adventure.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This volte-face was not just about electoral politics.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
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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.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
22 Dec. 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
-
An honest newspaper would print a large retraction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
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Since Cohn had signed the letter asking for retraction, the lead inquirer did not report to him.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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