‘Rage bait’ chosen as Oxford University Press 'Word of the Year for 2025'
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Oxford University Press has selected “rage bait’’ as its word of the year, saying the term reflects a defining feature of the online world in 2025.
The publisher described “rage bait’’ as online content created “deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive,” with the goal of boosting traffic to a social media account.
Lexicographer Susie Dent said that, “The person producing it will bask in the millions, quite often, of comments and shares and even likes sometimes.’’ She said this trend is tied to the way social media algorithms work, “because although we love fluffy cats, we’ll appreciate that we tend to engage more with negative content and content that really provokes us.”
"Rage bait" was chosen ahead of two other shortlisted expressions: "aura farming" and "biohack."
Oxford University Press said these finalists were selected after inviting public feedback on a list created by its team of lexicographers.
The publisher defines “aura farming’’ as creating a public image that subtly suggests an air of confidence, coolness, or mystique. "Biohack" refers to an attempt to improve or optimise one’s physical or mental performance, health, or longevity.
Lexicographers at Oxford University Press analyse emerging vocabulary and shifts in language use throughout the year. Their goal is to choose a term that reflects broader cultural significance.
Oxford University Press, which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary, has been naming a word of the year since 2004. Earlier winners include "podcast" in 2005, "emoji" in 2015, and "goblin mode" in 2022.