clickbait
Americannoun
adjective
Usage
What does clickbait mean? Clickbait describes misleading internet content or shocking headline titles that aim to drive traffic to a website.
Etymology
Origin of clickbait
First recorded in 1995–2000; click 1 (in the computer sense) + bait
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Clickbait panels, slick dealmaking and fake award ceremonies aren’t welcome.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2023
Clickbait headlines and pseudoscience claims prey on our cognitive biases, hobbling critical thinking.
From Scientific American • Mar. 27, 2023
Neither "Clickbait" nor "Nine Perfect Strangers" attempt to present themselves as accurate, true-to-life depictions of catfishing.
From Salon • Sep. 7, 2021
Whether you don’t want to give Clickbait the satisfaction of your click or you’ve already clicked many times over, let’s talk about it—and there is a lot to talk about—spoilers and all.
From Slate • Aug. 31, 2021
Readers don't want to pay for the internet; readers don't want ads; readers want better, expensive reporting and less "Clickbait."
From The Verge • Oct. 21, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.