Badtid

Badtid is a colloquial term used in online communities to describe a stretch of time during which a person experiences a succession of unfortunate events. It is most often applied to digital or gaming contexts, such as a game session marked by repeated glitches, misplays, or unlucky outcomes, but it can also refer to a period of personal misfortune in everyday life. The expression is typically used in a light, humorous, or self-deprecating way.

Etymology and origins of the term are informal and not well documented. The word is commonly interpreted as a compound of “bad” and “tid,” with tid being a form of the word time in several Germanic languages. The precise lineage is uncertain, and many users treat the phrase as a mnemonic, meme-like construction rather than a rigorously defined linguistic unit. The term has spread primarily through online forums, streaming platforms, and social media, where short, relatable descriptions of misfortune are shared as memes or anecdotes.

In usage, badtid articles or posts usually describe a run of negative outcomes rather than a single incident. It can function as a coping mechanism, enabling people to acknowledge misfortune while maintaining a sense of humor. Variants and related expressions include variations in capitalization or spacing, such as “bad tid” or “badtid,” and similar constructs in other languages that convey a comparable idea of stumbling through a rough period.

See also: bad luck, time, meme culture, online slang.