bait and switch

noun

1
: a sales tactic in which a customer is attracted by the advertisement of a low-priced item but is then encouraged to buy a higher-priced one
2
: the ploy of offering a person something desirable to gain favor (such as political support) then thwarting expectations with something less desirable

Examples of bait and switch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But Pippa soon swings in with a big confession: These muffins were actually baked to convince Ravi to spill the deets about his dead brother. Ravi, peeved that Pip pulled a bait and switch, tells her to leave him alone. Fletcher Peters, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2024 Classical After a buzzing opening night complete with an indiscreet bait and switch—Josh Groban headlined after an ever-busy Cynthia Erivo had to withdraw—next up for the New York Philharmonic is a celebration of Afromodernism. The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024 To be fair, the bait and switch is obvious from the jump. Ben Croll, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2024 The fake movie would be promoted and then audiences would get the bait and switch of a lifetime in the theater. Zack Sharf, Variety, 25 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for bait and switch 

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bait and switch was in 1962

Dictionary Entries Near bait and switch

Cite this Entry

“Bait and switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bait%20and%20switch. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Legal Definition

bait and switch

noun
: a fraudulent or deceptive sales practice in which a purchaser is attracted by advertisement of a low-priced item but then is encouraged to purchase a higher-priced one

called also bait advertising

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