1
: gentle in nature or behavior
has a mild disposition
2
a(1)
: moderate in action or effect
a mild sedative
(2)
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
mild cheese
mild ale
b
: not being or involving what is extreme
an analysis under mild conditions
3
: not severe : temperate
a mild climate
mild symptoms of disease
mildly adverb
mildness noun

Examples of mild in a Sentence

He has a mild manner. He was a mild-mannered man who rarely became angry. They had a mild disagreement. She has a mild case of the flu. He suffered a mild concussion attack. a mild reprimand, not a stern one We've been having a very mild winter.
Recent Examples on the Web Similarly cold conditions can be anticipated tonight before temperatures turn somewhat milder to end the workweek and a rainstorm heads our way. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 There’s a mild reprieve from the winter weather coming up, as Sheppard said that early next week, on Monday and Tuesday, Milwaukee should be in the 40s. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 Niagara Falls boat tours to break record for earliest opening due to mild winter Cherry blossoms in the nation's capital reached a near-record early peak bloom on Sunday, shifting earlier by about seven days since 1921. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 Another 5 to 7 million adults have mild cognitive impairment, a set of early changes to memory and thinking linked to Alzheimer's, according to an Alzheimer's Association's annual facts and figures report released Wednesday. Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 The bacteria Salmonella can cause gastroenteritis, or diarrheal illness, ranging from mild to severe. Julia Landwehr, Health, 19 Mar. 2024 The mild climate in Tennessee, weather events aside, lets people garden eight or nine months out of the year. Mae Anderson, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Scottsdale Arts, Scottsdale, $7,500 To support the organization's Memory Lounge, which provides creative-aging learning opportunities in visual art, dance, theatre and music to 300-plus adults with mild to moderate dementia and their care partners. Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024 According to research carried out by the University of Manchester, the mechanical action of chewing causes mild damage in the mouth which triggers the Th17 cells, galvanizing them into action. Georgia Day, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mild.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English milde; akin to Greek malthakos soft, Latin mollis — more at melt

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mild was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mild

Cite this Entry

“Mild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mild. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mild

adjective
1
: gentle in nature or behavior
a mild person
2
a
: not strong in action or effect
a mild drug
b
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
a mild cheese
3
: not severe : temperate sense 5
mild weather
mildly adverb
mildness noun

Medical Definition

mild

adjective
1
: moderate in action or effect
a mild drug
2
: not severe
a mild case of the flu

More from Merriam-Webster on mild

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