Oxford University Press has announced the shortlist for the Oxford Word of the Year 2025, inviting the public to vote on the final choice.

Language experts analysed a 25-billion-word corpus to identify three terms that best reflect this year’s social and cultural shifts. The shortlisted words are:

• aura farming (noun): The crafting of a striking or charismatic public image by subtly projecting confidence, coolness, or mystique.
• biohack (verb): To enhance physical or mental performance, health, or longevity through lifestyle changes, supplements, drugs, or technological tools.
• rage bait (noun): Online content deliberately created to provoke anger or outrage in order to boost engagement.

Oxford notes that 2025 has been shaped by rapid technological integration, from deepfake influencers to AI-driven relationships, prompting renewed questions about identity in digital and real worlds.

The shortlisted words will be showcased on social media throughout the week as part of a public campaign. Voting closes on Thursday (27 November) at 12pm GMT, after which experts will review the data and commentary to select the final winner. The Oxford Word of the Year 2025 will be announced on 1 December. People can submit their vote by visiting https://corp.oup.com/word-of-the-year/