December Observations

Rage bait, 6-7, slop — what do these expressions have in common? Indeed, they are all phrases that would likely elicit frowns or confused faces from the adults in society, given that they are considered pointless “Gen Z Slang”. However, linguists and language experts seem to view them very differently, with all three of these expressions being chosen as “Word of the Year” for 2025 by reputable dictionaries. Rage bait was selected by the Oxford Dictionary, 6-7 by Dictionary.com and slop by Merriam-Webster, but why?

Words of the year are typically not chosen because they are phonetically pleasing or widely used by everyone in society. Although there is notable variation in the specific criteria, they are usually selected for their significance in reflecting broader societal and cultural phenomena that occurred that year. Hence, delving into these three terms and their connections to technology and social media helps us understand how language and technology truly have a mutual, symbiotic relationship. With the rise of complex large language models and AI chatbots, it is easy to admire how language is shaping new technologies. However, the ways technology shapes the language we use in our daily lives should not be overlooked.

Let’s start with rage bait, which means “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive”. Reportedly first employed back in 2002, usage of rage bait has tripled over the past twelve months. Now, the term itself presents a fascinating irony. It serves as evidence of the growing awareness of tactics used to manipulate users into engaging more with social media posts and boosting viewership; however, its widespread use can simultaneously perpetuate the very harm it seeks to expose. Every time someone comments, “This is ragebait,” on a video, they are still engaging with the content and giving the creator the attention they sought in the first place. After all, some creators look for any publicity to fuel the algorithm, even if it’s not positive. 

Next, 6-7. Unfortunately, I am not able to define this term for you all. The modern use of 6-7 originated in a song and was then popularized by various TikTok trends. This expression is almost always paired with an unforgettable gesture: both palms facing up, moving up and down. This has led some to believe it means “so so,” but in reality, it is used in any context simply because it is fun to say, rendering it essentially meaningless and one of the most notable examples of modern-day brain rot. The term captures how quickly nonsensical slang can spread through social media and embed itself into people’s lives. So, while I can tell you that this term definitely does not mean the two-digit number sixty-seven, the rest is up to your interpretation. 

Moving on to the final word, slop. This refers to “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence”. In fact, research has found that more than 20% of the videos that YouTube’s algorithm shows to new users are AI slop because of how easy it is to create and monetize this content. The negative connotations of the word slop reflect some of this content’s harmful implications — inaccurate or misleading information — an ongoing issue as we navigate the rise of AI-generated content. 

All in all, a word being labeled “slang” or seen as less sophisticated does not make it any less valuable. Instead, it can be an accurate reflection of the time period we live in and capture how technology shapes our communication. Digital media platforms facilitate the creation and spread of new terms, effectively allowing any user to contribute to language change. As the words we use daily continue to shift alongside digital culture, I’m excited to see what dictionaries will select as the “word of the year” next year!

Credit: Dictionary.com

Works Cited

“2025 Word of the Year: Slop.” Merriam-Webster, 14 Dec. 2025, www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/

word-of-the-year. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

“Dictionary.com’s 2025 Word of the Year Is….” Dictionary.com, 28 Oct. 2025, www.dictionary.com/articles/

word-of-the-year-2025. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Down, Aisha. “More than 20% of Videos Shown to New YouTube Users Are ‘AI Slop’, Study Finds.” The Guardian, 27 Dec. 2025, www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/27/more-than-20-of-videos-shown-to-new-youtube-users-are-ai-slop-study-finds. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Schuessler, Jennifer. “The Oxford 2025 Word of the Year Is ‘Rage Bait.’” The New York Times, 30 Nov. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/arts/oxford-word-of-the-year-rage-bait.html. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

“The Oxford Word of the Year 2025 Is Rage Bait.” Oxford University Press, 1 Dec. 2025, corp.oup.com/news/the-oxford-word-of-the-year-2025-is-rage-bait/. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.