Internet
madlad
What does madlad mean?
A term of affectionate awe for someone who actually went and did the unhinged thing. Wore shorts to a wedding. Replied-all to the entire company. Bought a house at 22 with a credit card. r/madlads is the museum, and the comments are always some variation of 'absolute madlad.' British-flavoured in origin, fully internationalised now.
"He microwaved the whole pizza box and it actually worked — absolute madlad."
Origin
British slang ('mad lad' = wild guy), popularised on Reddit via r/madlads (founded 2014). 'Absolute madlad' is the canonical phrasing.
Frequently asked questions
What does madlad mean?
A madlad is someone admired for doing something reckless, audacious, or gloriously stupid.
How do you use madlad in a sentence?
"He actually did it — what a madlad."
Is madlad an insult?
No, it's usually affectionate — it expresses admiration for someone's bold or absurd behaviour.
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