Oxford University Press has selected "rage bait" as the Word of the Year for 2025. This phrase saw a three-fold increase in online usage, showing a big change in how people talk about attention, engagement, and ethics on the internet. "Rage bait" means online posts made to cause anger or outrage. These posts are often frustrating, provocative, or offensive. They are designed to get more views, clicks, and shares. It beat other words like "aura farming" and "biohack". The term first appeared in 2002 on Usenet. It described a driver’s angry reaction when flashed to let others pass. Over time, "rage bait" moved to online slang, referring to viral posts meant to provoke strong reactions. Now the term is common in journalism and among online content creators. The strategy is effective, especially in politics, where outrage leads to more clicks. Social media platforms often reward these angry posts. This has led to "rage-farming," where creators repeatedly post rage bait to grow anger and engagement. These posts often include misinformation or conspiracy theories. The rise of "rage bait" shows how powerful and troubling online anger-driven content has become.