Rage Bait Named Word Of The Year As Outrage Drives Online Culture In 2025
Oxford University Press has officially crowned “rage bait’’ as its 2025 word of the year, a choice that pretty much sums up what everyone has been doom-scrolling through for the past twelve months.
The phrase captures the type of online content engineered to provoke anger or irritation for the sole purpose of boosting engagement and driving traffic. In a statement, Oxford explained that rage bait works because it taps into the internet’s most reliable currency: outrage.
Lexicographer Susie Dent told the BBC that creators of such content often “bask in the millions” of comments, shares, and even likes that follow. She pointed to the algorithms behind major social platforms, which frequently elevate negative or provocative posts because users are more likely to interact with them. Cute cat videos may warm hearts, but conflict fuels the clicks.
“Rage bait’’ topped a shortlist that included “aura farming’’ and “biohack,” two other buzzwords that gained traction in 2025. According to Oxford, “aura farming’’ describes cultivating a public persona that subtly communicates confidence or mystique, while “biohack’’ refers to efforts to enhance physical or mental performance, health, or longevity through unconventional methods.
Each year, Oxford’s lexicographers track rising vocabulary and shifts in communication to select a term they believe best reflects the cultural moment. The tradition began in 2004, with past winners including “podcast’’ in 2005, “emoji’’ in 2015, and “goblin mode’’ in 2022, a phrase that captured the chaotic refusal to return to pre-pandemic norms.
