clickbait

[klik-beyt]

noun

1. a sensationalized headline or piece of text on the internet designed to entice people to follow a link to an article on another web page.

adjective

1. noting or relating to such internet content.

   Clickbait articles contribute to the online visibility of the news website.

Word History and Origins

Origin of clickbait¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; click ¹ (in the computer sense) + bait

Example Sentences

A similar video was also posted by triathlon organiser Ironman, but despite their apologies Ms Yendle said she's been left feeling like "they were using my speech for clickbait".

From BBC

"I felt like they were using my speech for clickbait, and that's not what I'm about at all," she said.

From BBC

“Mötley Crüe and Dolly Parton together is the ultimate clickbait,” says Sixx, with a laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Her delighted scrolling through a thicket of ads on a clickbait article on a tip Brad Pitt left someone is a little comic gem.

From Los Angeles Times

That realization produced a lot of shocking clickbait, and it also lent the season a weight that offset the kookiness inherent to any mega-celebrity’s wellness venture.

From Salon

When To Use

What does clickbait mean?

Clickbait describes misleading internet content or shocking headline titles that aim to drive traffic to a website.