From 'rage bait' to 'parasocial' trends in 2025

Language constantly evolves, adapting to contemporary times, technologies, and cultural trends. Each invention, concept, or cultural phenomenon introduces terms, expressions, or abbreviations with specific meanings in particular fields, contributing to a surge of new terminology.
No matter how many languages one is fortunate to speak fluently, English stands out as the leading mode of communication worldwide. It serves as a lingua franca, enabling people to communicate even when they do not share a native language.
However, the English language has undergone its own linguistic revolution over the years. New words, meanings, and ideas have emerged to help counterbalance the impact of advancements in the world and to describe and explain them fully.
Understanding new words and their meanings enhances a person's confidence and enables active participation in English discussions with friends, family, and others. New words can originate from various sources. Some are derived from existing words or phrases and modified to fit new contexts.
When a new word gains popularity, the selection process begins—a transition from a passing trend to enduring terminology. Lexicographers analyse how frequently the word appears and how long it has been in use. Popularity alone is insufficient; the term must demonstrate lasting significance.
Every year, dictionaries add hundreds of new terms to their collections and online platforms. Once new word gains popularity, the selection process begins—a transition from a passing trend to a lasting term. Lexicographers analyse the frequency of the word's usage and the length of time it has been in use.
Although it is impossible to provide an exact number of new words added to English each year, estimates suggest that dictionaries can include around 1,000 to 2,000 new words annually. In fact, most new words are actually existing words used in different forms or with new functions.
We often think of word formation as something that happened centuries ago, but in fact, it continues to this day. As 2025 comes to an end, lexicographers and linguists at the world’s most widely used and well-known dictionaries have announced their annual picks for Word of the Year.
The latest update to the Oxford English Dictionary demonstrates how rapidly language evolves as new cultures, online trends, and everyday expressions enter global usage. The 2025 additions remind us that English continues to expand by reflecting the way people speak and connect worldwide.
The dictionary added dozens of new words and expressions from around the world this year. However, the official Oxford Word of the Year 2025 is 'rage bait”, defined as online content deliberately designed to provoke anger or outrage.
According to the dictionary, the word was first used online in 2002 in a posting on the online forum to describe drivers’ reactions to other drivers flashing their lights when seeking to pass, apparently as a deliberate attempt to provoke.
The Cambridge Dictionary announced its “parasocial” its Word of the Year, defining it as or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, or artificial intelligence.
Merriam-Webster announced in September that it has revised one of its most popular dictionaries with a new edition, adding over 5,000 new words, including 'doomscroll,' 'WFH,' and 'ghost kitchen.'
'For the first time in over twenty years, and only the twelfth time since 1898, Merriam-Webster has published a new edition of its iconic Collegiate Dictionary,' the company announced upon its release.
Collins English Dictionary, which has announced a Word of the Year since 2013, embraced the tech industry in its choice for the word of 2025. It selected “vibe coding,” a slang term defined as “the use of artificial intelligence prompted by natural language to assist with the writing of computer code.”

Samuel Kutty The writer is a freelance journalist and author who worked in Oman and India