Rage bait named Oxford Word of the Year 2025 — what is it and how does it hijack your emotions?

The other day, Jennifer Lawrence did the classic example of what it means to rage bait. A self-professed rage baiter as she herself says, the leading actress stoked the flames of The Summer I Turned Pretty, a TV show that caused such a war across television fandoms that actors almost fear hearing, 'Are you team Conrad, or team Jeremiah?' That's a reference to the love triangle in the show.

Lawrence chose Jeremiah. That's it. The TSIP fandom imploded, and fans said that her rage bait was successful. That's one example. If you're a Kpop fan, then well, you are used to rage bait.

If you’re still wondering what rage bait actually is, here’s the scoop: Oxford University Press’ word of the year for 2025 describes content designed to provoke anger or outrage online. Its usage has tripled in the last 12 months, beating out “aura farming” and “biohack” for the top spot.

You know that feeling when you feel someone has deliberately posted something so obtuse, your hands clench and you flex your fingers, ready for a digital war?

Yes, that's rage bait.

Even if you’ve never heard the term, chances are you’ve been rage baited. Oxford University Press defines it as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive.” Unlike clickbait, which primarily lures clicks with curiosity-inducing headlines, rage bait is laser-focused on making viewers lose their cool.

Rage bait isn’t just a digital nuisance. It’s a business model. By provoking outrage, these posts drive traffic, boost engagement, and fuel algorithms, keeping viewers scrolling, sharing, and arguing. “The fact that the word rage bait exists and has seen such a dramatic surge in usage means we're increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online,” said Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages in a statement.

For context, the other shortlisted words are equally telling of our digital age. Aura farming is cultivating a persona that radiates confidence, coolness, or mystique, while biohack refers to optimising health, performance, or longevity through lifestyle tweaks, supplements, or tech. Both were part of a public vote that guided OUP’s final decision.

This isn’t the first time OUP has highlighted the impact of online culture. Last year’s word, brain rot, captured the mental drain of mindless scrolling, while previous winners like goblin mode and selfie also reflect the zeitgeist. Grathwohl observes, “Together, they form a powerful cycle where outrage sparks engagement, algorithms amplify it, and constant exposure leaves us mentally exhausted.” Rage bait, it seems, is just the latest—and perhaps angriest—chapter.

It’s not a random scroll through the dictionary. Every year, Oxford University Press lexicographers put on their language detective hats, scouring English for new words and tracking shifts in how old favorites are used. They take tips from colleagues, the public, and the world’s biggest headlines to cook up a shortlist.

Other dictionaries got in on the fun, too

Cambridge Dictionary went for “parasocial”, the term for a relationship with celebrities you’ve never met. Collins Dictionary, meanwhile, embraced the future with “vibe coding”, which is basically telling AI what app or website you want instead of actually typing a single line of code.