Don't get angry, but the 2025 Oxford Word of the Year is 'rage bait'

"Defined as "online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive," rage bait is "typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account," according to Oxford's definition. When internet content produces a charged and negative emotional reaction from viewers, whether intentionally or not, it likely falls into the category of rage bait."

"Before the term "rage bait" entered the English lexicon around 2002, "the internet was focused on grabbing our attention by sparking curiosity in exchange for clicks," says Casper Grathwohl, president of the Oxford Languages division at Oxford University Press. "Now we've seen a dramatic shift to it hijacking and influencing our emotions, and how we respond." In recent months, the word gained popularity after actress Jennifer Lawrence revealed that she has a secret TikTok account she uses to "get in fights" with strangers online."

"Oxford calls rage bait "the internet's most effective hook," used to stimulate that ever-sensitive feeling of human anger existing though perhaps in different forms within us all. This year, says Oxford, "has been a year defined by the transformation of humanity in a tech-driven world." They list deepfake celebrities, AI-generated influencers, and virtual companions as examples of tech seeping into our minds and, particularly, our emotions."

Rage bait was named Oxford's 2025 Word of the Year after online voting by more than 30,000 participants, beating shortlist nominees "aura farming" and "biohack." The term describes online content deliberately crafted to provoke anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive and is typically posted to increase traffic or engagement with a web page or social media account. The concept emerged around 2002 and signals a shift from curiosity-driven clicks toward content that hijacks and influences emotions. The term gained renewed attention after Jennifer Lawrence said she uses a secret TikTok account to "get in fights," and technology such as deepfakes and AI influencers was cited as amplifying emotional manipulation online.

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