Oxford names 'rage bait' as 2025 Word of the Year
The choice reflects broader concerns about how digital platforms shape public emotion
Oxford University Press (OUP) has selected "rage bait" as its 2025 word (or phrase) of the year, highlighting how online discourse and digital engagement have evolved over the past 12 months.
Bite-Sized: What is 'Rage Bait,' Oxford's word of the year?
Why it matters
The choice reflects broader concerns about how digital platforms shape public emotion. OUP says the term captures a growing awareness of manipulative online tactics designed to provoke outrage and boost engagement, says the BBC.
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Driving the news
OUP defines rage bait as online content "deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive." The company notes that the tactic mirrors clickbait—but with a sharper emotional edge aimed at making users angry.
- Engagement motive: This type of content is commonly posted to increase traffic to websites or social media accounts.
- Usage spike: OUP data shows that use of the phrase tripled over the past year.
- Expert view: According to Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, the surge signals that "people are increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics they can be drawn into online." He added that online attention has shifted from curiosity-driven clicks to attempts to "hijack and influence emotions."
Context
Last year's winner, "brain rot," captured the mental drain of constant scrolling. OUP suggests the last two winners show a loop where "outrage sparks engagement, algorithms amplify it, and constant exposure leaves us mentally exhausted."
The shortlist
"Rage bait" topped two other finalists after a public vote:
- Aura farming: cultivating an impressive or charismatic public image meant to convey confidence, coolness, or mystique.
- Biohack: attempting to improve physical or mental performance, health, or longevity through lifestyle changes, supplements, or technology.
What other dictionaries chose
Other publishers also released their picks for 2025:
- Cambridge Dictionary: "parasocial" — a one-sided relationship someone feels with a famous person they don't know.
- Collins Dictionary: "vibe coding" — creating an app or website by describing it to AI instead of writing the code manually.
