India, Dec. 1 -- "Rage bait" has officially been named the Oxford Word of the Year 2025, a decision announced by Oxford University Press (OUP). The term describes online content created deliberately to provoke anger, frustration, or outrage, according to OUP's definition.

Usage of the phrase has tripled in the past year, OUP's language data shows. The New York Times reports that the rise was one of the strongest recorded in 2025. Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, told the NYT that "rage bait" is instantly understood by most people because online users recognise the behaviour right away.

The NYT also noted that the term has existed since 2002, when it appeared in a Usenet forum describing a driver's angry reaction. Over th...