rage bait, n.Trivia

A ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠study of 2.7 million posts found each extra word attacking a political out-group raised a post's odds of being shared by about 67%.

Oxford ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠traces "rage bait" to a 2002 Usenet post, where it described a driver's reaction to being flashed by another car wanting to pass.

Oxford ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠named "rage bait" its 2025 Word of the Year after usage tripled over the year.