Word Of Year Identifies Rage Bait Trend
Oxford University Press on Dec. 1, 2025 named "rage bait" its 2025 word of the year, defining it as online content deliberately designed to provoke anger to drive engagement. Lexicographers said the term reflects social-media algorithms that reward negative reactions; the shortlist included "aura farming" and "biohack," while Cambridge and Dictionary.com chose different words. The choice highlights rising awareness of emotion-driven manipulation online.
Key Points
- 1Names 'rage bait' as 2025 word, defined as content deliberately designed to elicit anger online
- 2Highlights social algorithms favor negative engagement, shifting attention tactics toward emotional manipulation
- 3Alerts communicators and platforms to reassess engagement metrics and reduce outrage-driven amplification
Scoring Rationale
Cultural insight into algorithmic manipulation drives relevance; limited technical novelty and direct actionable change constrain score.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
Practice interview problems based on real data
1,625 SQL & Python problems across 15 industry datasets — the exact type of data you work with.
Try 250 free problems
