clickbait

American  

[klik-beyt] / ˈklɪkˌbeɪt /

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.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to such internet content.

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

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

Tell me you’ll walk away from clickbait and focus on sober, steady governing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

On X, Kurt Caz dismissed criticism of the thumbnail as "clickbait" and said "if you're going to do a hit piece on me do it properly".

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

And now it’s escalated by the talking heads on TikTok that need clickbait.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

When a film so agonizing is immediately followed by empty, uninformative clickbait articles asking “where are they now” questions about the grieving Owens children, one has to wonder where the line is.

From Salon • Oct. 21, 2025

The bloggers and columnists, clickbait news sites, and social media influencers promise forensic detail: the way clothes move, the anatomy of the pregnant body, the tone of her denials, the baby’s resemblances.

From Slate • Jul. 21, 2025