‘Rage Bait’ Crowned Oxford’s Word Of The Year 2025 As Outrage Culture Peaks

Oxford University Press has named “rage-bait” its Word of the Year for 2025, reflecting the dominance of online outrage culture. Defined as content deliberately designed to provoke anger and boost engagement, the term beat out finalists “biohack” and “aura farming” after more than 30,000 public votes and expert review. Usage of “rage-bait” has tripled over the past year, highlighting growing awareness of manipulative digital tactics. Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, noted the shift from passive fatigue (“brain rot,” last year’s winner) to engineered outrage. Together, these choices capture how social media amplifies emotional manipulation and digital burnout.