The Oxford Word of the Year for 2025 is “rage bait,” a term the publisher says has tripled in usage over the past year. Defined as online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage, rage bait reflects how digital spaces shape our emotions, especially for marginalized communities. Oxford’s Casper Grathwohl said, “The fact that the word rage bait exists… means we’re increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online.” Rage bait beat aura farming, and bio hack for the top spot.
