Oxford’s New Word of the Year? It’s Designed to Bait, Debate and Irritate

In a move reflecting the darker side of the social-media era, Oxford University Press has named “rage bait” as its 2025 Word of the Year. (It’s actually two words, but don’t let that send you into a rage.) The phrase refers to online content deliberately designed to provoke anger or outrage by being provocative, offensive or otherwise manipulative, with the explicit aim of boosting engagement, clicks or shares. 

According to Oxford University Press, usage of rage bait has roughly tripled over the past…