wild

1 of 3

adjective

ˈwī(-ə)ld 

1

a

: living in a state of nature and not ordinarily tame or domesticated

wild ducks

b(1)

: growing or produced without human aid or care

wild honey

(2)

: related to or resembling a corresponding cultivated or domesticated organism

c

: of or relating to wild organisms

the wild state

2

a

: not inhabited or cultivated

wild land

b

: not amenable to human habitation or cultivation

also : desolate

3

a(1)

: not subject to restraint or regulation : uncontrolled

also : unruly

(2)

: emotionally overcome

wild with grief

also : passionately eager or enthusiastic

was wild to own a toy train

—J. C. Furnas

b

: marked by turbulent agitation : stormy

a wild night

c

: going beyond normal or conventional bounds : fantastic

wild ideas

also : sensational

d

: indicative of strong passion, desire, or emotion

a wild gleam of delight in his eyes

—Irish Digest

4

: uncivilized, barbaric

5

: characteristic of, appropriate to, or expressive of wilderness, wildlife, or a simple or uncivilized society

6

a

: deviating from the intended or expected course

wild spelling

—C. W. Cunnington

the throw was wild

also : tending to throw inaccurately

a wild pitcher

b

: having no basis in known or surmised fact

a wild guess

7

of a playing card : able to represent any card designated by the holder

wildish

ˈwī(-ə)l-dish 

adjective

wildness

ˈwī(-ə)ld-nəs 

noun

wild

2 of 3

noun

1

: a sparsely inhabited or uncultivated region or tract : wilderness

2

: a wild, free, or natural state or existence

wild

3 of 3

adverb

: in a wild manner: such as

a

: without regulation or control

plants that grow wild

b

: off an intended or expected course

Synonyms

Adjective

• feral
• savage
• unbroken
• undomesticated
• untamed
• wilding

Noun

• nature
• open
• open air
• out-of-doors
• outdoors
• wilderness

Adverb

• amok
• amuck
• berserk
• berserkly
• frantically
• frenetically
• frenziedly
• harum-scarum
• hectically
• helter-skelter
• madly
• pell-mell
• wildly

Examples of wild in a Sentence

Adjective

wild places high in the mountains

I felt a wild rage.

He was wild with anger.

The crowd went wild when the band took the stage.

Noun

They hiked through the wilds of Maine.

The plants were collected from the wild.

They will return the animal to the wild when it is healthy.

Could these animals survive in the wild?

I've only seen that animal in a zoo, never in the wild.

Adverb

These plants grow wild on the roadside.

as soon as the doors opened, early-morning bargain hunters ran wild through the store

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The audience goes wild when Foxx brings back some of his legendary characters and impersonations. —Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 10 Dec. 2024

What grief does to people is pretty wild to behold. —Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

Noun

Sandra Mujinga, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and now based in Norway, contributed Ghosting (2019), a draconic red faux-leather tent that an Ursula K. Le Guin protagonist might pitch in the galactic wilds. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Polo players often select their colors based on team affiliations or personal relevance (my red and white belt is an homage to my alma mater, McGill University), and color combinations can range from mild to wild. —Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2024

Adverb

All of it wild-caught. —Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 14 Aug. 2020

Our first stop is in a wild-looking stretch 200 yards south of the railroad tracks and State Street. —Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English wilde, from Old English; akin to Old High German wildi wild, Welsh gwyllt

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

circa 1562, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing wild

• African wild dog
• be wild about
• deuces wild
• drive someone wild
• go hog wild
• grow wild
• hear the call of the wild
• hog wild
• in the wild
• run wild
• sow one's (wild) oats
• the wild
• wild and woolly
• wild bergamot
• wild boar
• wild card
• wild carrot
• wild celery
• wild dog
• wild-eyed
• wild geranium
• wild ginger
• wild goose chase
• wild guess
• wild hyacinth
• wild indigo
• wild marjoram
• wild mustard
• wild oat
• wild pansy
• wild pink
• wild pitch
• wild rice
• wild rye
• wild sarsaparilla
• wild type

Kids Definition

wild

1 of 3 adjective

ˈwī(ə)ld 

1

a

: living in a state of nature and not under human control and care

wild animals

b

: growing or produced without human aid and care

wild honey

c

: of or relating to wild organisms

the wild state

2

: not inhabited or cultivated

wild land

3

a

: not being under control

wild rage

a wild young stallion

b

: marked by disturbance and confusion

a wild night

c

: going beyond what is usual : fantastic

wild colors

wild ideas

4

: not civilized : savage

5

: being far off the intended course

a wild pitch

6

: having no basis in fact

a wild guess

7

: able to represent any card designated by the holder

poker with deuces wild

wildly

ˈwī(ə)l-(d)lē

adverb

wildness

ˈwī(ə)l(d)-nəs 

noun

wild

2 of 3 noun

: wilderness

wild

3 of 3 adverb

1

: in a wild manner : wildly

2

: without rules or control

running wild