baited; baiting; baits
1
a
: to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks
bait minority groups
: to try to make angry with criticism or insults
baiting a politician during a debate
b
: tease
2
a
: to harass (a chained animal, such as a bear) with dogs usually for sport
b
: to attack by biting and tearing
dogs baiting a fox
3
a
: to furnish with bait (see bait entry 2)
bait a fishing line
bait a trap
4
: to give food and drink to (an animal) especially on the road
archaic
: to stop for food and rest when traveling
baiter
noun
1
a
: something (such as food) used in luring especially to a hook or trap
using worms for bait
b
: a poisonous material placed where it will be eaten by harmful or objectionable animals
2
: lure, temptation
using bargains as bait for shoppers
Examples of bait in a Sentence
Verb
baiting hooks with live worms
The interviewer kept baiting the politician by asking him whether he was lying.
Noun
cheese used for bait in mousetraps
Wait until the fish takes the bait.
a wide selection of lures and baits
Recent Examples on the Web
Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
LaFreniere digs a hole to hold a pipe, places bait at the bottom, and positions the pipe near a mature tree to anchor the cable.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 22 Oct. 2025
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Lurie is handling the volatile situation with quiet aplomb, not an easy riser to the bait that is the president’s constant provocations of American mayors.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
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Verb
Matty also accepts an apology from Olympia, who feels bad about baiting her (and then recording her).
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
LaFreniere digs a hole to hold a pipe, places bait at the bottom, and positions the pipe near a mature tree to anchor the cable.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
To discourage their existence, many people use the also ubiquitous black-box bait stations.
—Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Lurie is handling the volatile situation with quiet aplomb, not an easy riser to the bait that is the president’s constant provocations of American mayors.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bait
Cite this Entry
“Bait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bait. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bait
1 of 2 verb1
: to torment by repeated attacks
2
: to torment (an animal) with dogs
3
: to put bait on or in
bait a hook
baiter
noun
bait
2 of 2 noun1
: something (as food) used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap
2
: a poisonous material put where it will be eaten by and kill harmful or undesirable animals
3
Etymology
Verb
Middle English baiten "to tease, torment," from an early Norse word originally meaning "to cause to bite"
Noun
Middle English bait "a lure," from two early Norse words, one meaning "pasture" and the other meaning "food"
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