bait and switch
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
Recent Examples on the Web
//The red blend of Grolleau, Gamay and Côt (the fancy French word for Malbec) from the Loire Valley was a thrilling bait and switch that smelled like wet Redwoods in a barnyard, covered by flowering star jasmine.
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Marissa A. Ross, Bon Appétit, "The Wine That Changed My Life Has a New Vintage, and I Can't Stop Thinking About It," 27 Sep. 2019
//From late summer to the start of autumn, actively feeding common carp can also be made to fall for a classic bait and switch.
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Joanna Klein, New York Times, "Fish Cannons, Koi Herpes and Other Tools to Combat Invasive Carp," 4 June 2019
//Some ploys have been a bait and switch, like the nearly $3 million fraud that saw wine from private lockers in California swapped out for cheap wine by a man who sold the really good stuff at auction — and went to state prison.
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Laurel Demkovich, Washington Post, "A man told wine fanciers he’d store their pricey bottles. Instead, he sold them and pocketed proceeds.," 3 Aug. 2019
//Everything comes together so spectacularly that the bait and switch is still terrifying — and a perfect example of what Killing Eve is capable of.
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Caroline Framke, Vox, "Killing Eve’s funny, frightening third episode shows why it’s the best TV surprise of the year," 29 Apr. 2018
//Flynn has described her book as something of a bait and switch – a juicy crime drama that is actually an exploration of one woman’s pain and the relationships between three generations of women.
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Anna Silman, The Cut, "Sharp Objects," 11 July 2018
//The practice, known as 'drip pricing,' is said to be misleading to consumers and akin to bait and switch tactics.
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Taylor Mims, Billboard, "StubHub Must Face Lawsuit Over Hidden Fee Drip Pricing Allegations, Judge Rules," 13 June 2018
//But the problem here is that the president is playing a game of bait and switch.
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Fox News, "Facebook asks users to send in nude photos," 24 May 2018
//If that means doing more to prevent the old bait and switch, so be it.
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Solomon Jones, Philly.com, "Need more than a promise of jobs to make sure Rebuild workforce is diverse | Solomon Jones," 16 May 2018
First Known Use of bait and switch
1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries near bait and switch
More Synonyms and Antonyms ofbait and switch
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