Winchester News Online
‘Rage bait’ named Word of the Year by Oxford University Press
Over 30,000 people voted for “Rage bait” as the Oxford University Press Word of the Year 2025, highlighting a word that has surged in use online.
The word, also known as a compound, topped a shortlist that included aura farming and biohack, and has earned its place in the Oxford English Dictionary.
The phrase is defined by Oxford as online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive, typically to increase traffic or engagement on a particular webpage or social media account.
Jonathan Dent, a Senior Editor for the Oxford English Dictionary, said: “Right from the start of the process, when we were selecting the initial shortlist of words that we offered to the public for the vote, Rage bait stood out as a really strong candidate.
“I think the great thing about language change is it’s a social negotiation between lots of different people, what words mean, and the words we keep around, and the words we’ve agreed as users are useful.”
According to the publisher’s data, usage of the term has tripled over the past year, a trend that Oxford’s language experts say reflects the evolution of online communication and content strategies in 2025.
Oxford University Press said the Word of the Year is chosen through a combination of public voting and lexical analysis of global language data.
Rage bait joins a list of recent winners that reflect societal trends, including “Brain Rot” in 2024, “Rizz” in 2023, and “Goblin Mode” in 2022.
Oxford’s choice contrasts with other lexicographers, as Cambridge Dictionary picked parasocial as its 2025 Word of the Year, while Dictionary.com selected 67, a slang term embraced by the younger generation.
Winchester News Online
Police hunt man who threw chair and threatened shoppers
A man threw a chair and threatened bystanders in the centre of Gosport on Friday.
Police say the man, who was behaving aggressively, threw the chair on the ground and shouted threats at nearby shoppers before running away. No one was injured.
It happened just before noon, outside a Greggs Bakery on the High Street.
Hampshire Police say the man was white, bald and in his late 40s. He was wearing a baseball cap and a grey hoodie.
Officers are asking anyone who saw the incident to contact them.
Winchester News Online
Police officers injured during anti-migration rally
Twelve people were arrested after 350 anti-migrant protestors clashed with police overnight in Gosport following reports of a small boat landing in the area.
A small number of officers needed medical treatment following the protests near Walpole car park.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said: “Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest, our position on this has been clear that we will investigate thoroughly and take robust action against anyone responsible.
“Our officers did not deserve to be assaulted as they worked incredibly diligently on Sunday to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.”
Police had banned face coverings and had issued a dispersal order ahead of the protests across Gosport.
Those arrested were held on suspicion of assaulting officers or being drunk and disorderly.
The protest marks an increase in tensions within the UK after protests at Portsmouth, Taunton, Basingstoke and Glasgow in recent months.
Gosport Reform UK councilor Paul Carter told GB News: “If you think about this last night, no one really knew what was happening… I think a lot of people are really worried.”
Winchester News Online
Residents warned over closure of recycling centre
People in Romsey are being warned that the town’s recycling centre will be closing for a month for repairs.
The closure of Casbrook recycling centre will take place from 12 October to 12 November.
The council says that repairs are essential to keep the site safe, after heavy vehicles damaged the tarmac beneath waste containers.
Councillor Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader, said: “We are investing in essential improvements to preserve the surface of Casbrook HWRC (Bunny Lane) and ensure the facility continues to serve residents safely and effectively for many years to come.
“I thank residents for their patience during these works and confirm that capacity is available at nearby HWRCs to ensure residents that usually use Bunny Lane, can still dispose of their waste during this time.”
Locals have been advised to use alternative centres in Winchester and Eastleigh while the repairs take place.
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