1
as in lure
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap
cheese is the traditional bait for trapping mice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in temptation
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
the promise of free vacation is surefire bait to get people to agree to be chaperones for school trips
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to taunt
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
I wished the candidates would stop baiting each other and instead address the real issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lure
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
the investment scheme cunningly baits the greedy and the unscrupulous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bait
Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 17 Mar. 2025
The middle bait would be suspended shallower and the one directly behind the boat would sit just out of sight to tempt sharks that follow their noses right to the chum source.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
Noel Murray, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
For an undercover cop in 1997, the art of baiting gay men into propositioning you in public restrooms is a grotesque art form that requires a strict adherence to the rules.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Noun
Use cockroach baits and traps instead of sprays, which can irritate airways.
—Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 17 Mar. 2025
The middle bait would be suspended shallower and the one directly behind the boat would sit just out of sight to tempt sharks that follow their noses right to the chum source.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
Before baiting Shae into flying to Georgia, Matty files an HR complaint against her, accusing her of ageist harassment.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
For an undercover cop in 1997, the art of baiting gay men into propositioning you in public restrooms is a grotesque art form that requires a strict adherence to the rules.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bait
Noun
-
Sponsor Opportunities: Upscale Park City and Deer Valley would remain a lure for sponsors who want to entertain clients in ski resorts.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2025
-
This is done to exploit the Microsoft 365 tenant display name feature so as to inject a trusted and believable phishing lure directly into the email concerned.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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And because Disney remakes of one sort or another just keep coming, from Mulan to Pinocchio to The Little Mermaid, the temptation to be cynical about them is enormous.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
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On the other hand, growth finance from Series B onwards can be hard to secure and the temptation to sell to a rival or a corporation can be strong.—
Trevor Clawson,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
When ejections take place, more yelling and taunting ensues.—
Arthur Daemmrich,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2025
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The big picture: The new policy marks yet another escalation in the friction between the U.S. and its northern neighbors, as President Trump pushes an on-again, off-again trade war with Canada and taunts the U.S. ally with annexation.—
Jessica Boehm,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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After this went down, one might be tempted to joke that Rodgers was in store for a green room retreat!—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The first half hour is filled with the weirdly neutral techno jargon of soldiers jabbering code words into their headphones to what I (as a know-nothing) am tempted to call Mission Control.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Too many ambitious people fall into the trap of chasing other people’s definitions of discipline instead of their own.—
Kody Boye,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2025
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Big mistake: Kitchens get plenty dirty already, but the top of your refrigerator can be a veritable dust trap.—
Lauren Phillips,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As OpenAI rolls out Sora to more users, expanding access to additional countries and teasing a potential ChatGPT integration, developers may be incentivized to address issues of bias further.—
Reece Rogers,
WIRED,
23 Mar. 2025
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This year, the star has teased new music, sharing occasional studio photos on Instagram.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Instinct says to seduce with a decadent chocolate treat, but sadly, my Valentine for the past 20 years isn’t the biggest chocolate lover.—
Martin Sorge,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
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Raúl Castillo plays against type and makes for a menacing, unstoppable presence in a genre homage that’s yell-at-the-scream enjoyable and seduces with its terrific cinematography from Daniel Katz.—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The hooks reduce hand fatigue, allowing crafters to work on their projects for more extended periods.—
Jené Luciani Sena,
Fox News,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The student-loan program should be reformed and then transferred to the Treasury (if not abolished entirely, allowing the free market to do its job and getting the taxpayers off the hook).—
The Editors,
National Review,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bait. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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