CONFIRMED: oxunipress has named ‘rage bait’ as the Oxford Word of the Year 2025. OUP’s language experts shortlisted three contenders – rage bait, aura farming, and biohack – to reflect the moods and conversations that shaped the past year. The winning word was chosen using a mix of public votes, commentary sentiment, and analysis of OUP’s lexical data. Rage bait combines two long-established English words – ‘rage’ (violent outburst of anger) and ‘bait’ (an attractive morsel of food). While it sits close to clickbait, its aim is more pointed: to spark anger, discord, and polarisation. Its rise shows how easily English adapts, creating new terms from familiar parts to capture the world we’re living in. Find out more by searching 'Oxford Word of the Year 2025' #OxfordWOTY #Ragebait #Aurafarming #BioHack #RageBaited #OxfordWordOfTheYear #WordOfTheYear