Rage Bait: Capturing 2025's Internet Zeitgeist

Oxford University Press has named 'rage bait' as its 2025 word of the year, highlighting content designed to provoke anger online. This term mirrors the online culture where engagement with negative content is favored. It surpassed other contenders like 'aura farming' and 'biohack'.

Oxford University Press has named 'rage bait' as the word capturing the essence of online interactions in 2025. This term describes content purposefully crafted to provoke anger or outrage, thus driving higher engagement on social media platforms.

According to Susie Dent, a lexicographer, this reflects how social media algorithms prioritize provocative content, resulting in significant attention and interaction. Lexicographers chose 'rage bait' over 'aura farming' and 'biohack' after evaluating its cultural impact.

The selection of 'rage bait' as the year's word underscores the trend of prioritizing content that elicits strong emotional reactions, a practice reinforced by algorithmic preferences on various platforms.