Centerstage Event
“Rage Bait’’ the 2025 Word of the Year
Oxford University Press names “rage bait’’ the 2025 Word of the Year, reflecting how outrage-driven posts dominate online engagement. Defined as content crafted to provoke anger and boost traffic, rage bait increasingly shapes social media behaviour. Lexicographer Susie Dent says algorithms reward such negativity because users interact more with provocative material. The term beats finalists “aura farming’’ and “biohack,’’ which describe image-curation tactics and performance-enhancing practices.
Monday, 1 December, 2025