Ujjainee Roy
Word of the Year: Rage bait
OUP declared “rage bait” as its Word of the Year for 2025. “Rage bait” beat out two other finalists, aura farming and biohack, after being shortlisted by Oxford’s lexicographers and then chosen as the term of the year.
What is rage bait?
The term refers to online content deliberately designed to provoke anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive with the aim of driving engagement, clicks or traffic.
How to use it?
Rage bait can be used in headlines or captions are written to sound extreme, unfair, or shocking so they instantly trigger anger or disbelief. Content often centres on polarising subjects (politics, culture, gender, celebrities, class issues) because they guarantee emotional reactions.
Is it popular?
According to Oxford, usage of “rage bait” tripled over the last 12 months which indicates a sharp rise in awareness and prevalence of such content in public discourse. The editors said the word reflects a shift in how the internet and media interacts with our attention and emotions.