clickbait

noun

click·​bait ˈklik-ˌbāt How to pronounce clickbait (audio)
: something (such as a headline) designed to make readers want to click on a hyperlink especially when the link leads to content of dubious value or interest
It is difficult to remember a time when you could scroll through the social media outlet of your choice and not be bombarded with: You'll never believe what happened when … This is the cutest thing ever … This the biggest mistake you can make … Take this quiz to see which character you are on … They are all classic clickbait models.Emily Shire

Examples of clickbait in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Advertisement Gerda’s career is an exemplar of what happens when news organizations invest in local journalism, let reporters dig instead of writing clickbait and stand by them in the face of critics real and imagined. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 Think clickbait articles, blog posts stuffed with keywords, and photos of people with six fingers. Samuel Burke, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024 In the new, highly competitive tech market, the companies that exhibit leadership in terms of improving operations are going to do better than the ones delivering clickbait. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 Nationalistic clickbait The ruling Chinese Communist Party has long cultivated nationalism to shore up legitimacy. Cnn Staff, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clickbait 

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clickbait was in 1999

Dictionary Entries Near clickbait

Cite this Entry

“Clickbait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clickbait. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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