“Aura farming” refers to the strategic cultivation of a public image intended to project confidence, sophistication, or mystique. “Biohack” denotes attempts to enhance physical or mental performance, health, or longevity by modifying lifestyle or employing experimental techniques.
Lexicographer Susie Dent, part of the OUP selection panel, noted that negative or emotionally charged content consistently draws more interaction than neutral posts, a trend reinforced by social-media recommendation systems. She explained that creators who master this formula can accumulate “millions of comments and shares,” underscoring why the expression rose rapidly in everyday conversation.
The Word of the Year program, launched by OUP in 2004, tracks emerging vocabulary and shifting language patterns to identify terms that capture a significant cultural moment. Past selections include “podcast” in 2005, “emoji” in 2015, and “goblin mode” in 2022—the latter describing a resistance to returning to pre-pandemic routines.
OUP’s decision process begins with its language-data team monitoring newspapers, broadcast transcripts, social media, and other digital sources. Potential candidates are evaluated for frequency of use, geographical reach, and relevance to public discourse. The shortlist is then presented to users worldwide, who provide feedback before the final choice is confirmed.
While the publisher does not release raw voting figures, it reported that “rage bait” maintained a clear lead during the public consultation phase. The expression has appeared in academic papers, mainstream news outlets, and policy discussions about the social impact of algorithm-driven engagement.
Research from independent organizations supports OUP’s findings. A Pew Research Center study published in 2023 observed that posts containing negative or anger-provoking language on major social networks are significantly more likely to be reshared than neutral content. Analysts have linked this pattern to increased advertising revenue for platforms as users spend more time online responding to contentious material.
In parallel with the Word of the Year announcement, OUP highlighted the broader role its dictionaries play in documenting linguistic change. The publisher’s Oxford English Dictionary, continuously updated since the late 19th century, now incorporates thousands of digital-era expressions that did not exist at the turn of the millennium.
The 2025 winner reinforces the influence of internet culture on mainstream vocabulary. OUP stated that it expects further terms related to artificial intelligence, virtual environments, and online behavior to surface in future editions of its annual report.
“Rage bait” will be entered into the next update of OUP’s language databases, accompanied by evidence of its usage across media formats and regions. The publisher will also provide guidance on the term’s etymology and typical contexts, ensuring consistency for educators, journalists, and the general public.
OUP plans to release a detailed analysis of its 2025 language corpus early next year. The document will outline frequency statistics for “rage bait,” “aura farming,” “biohack,” and other notable neologisms charted during the 12-month review period.
Crédito da imagem: Oxford University Press
