mild

American  

[mahyld] / maɪld /

adjective

milder, mildest

1. amiably gentle or temperate in feeling or behavior toward others.

   Synonyms:

   pleasant, soft

   Antonyms:

   forceful

2. characterized by or showing such gentleness, as manners or speech.

   a mild voice.

3. not cold, severe, or extreme, as air or weather.

   mild breezes.

   Synonyms:

   clement, moderate, temperate

   Antonyms:

   severe

4. not sharp, pungent, or strong.

   a mild flavor.

   Synonyms:

   bland

5. not acute or serious, as disease.

   a mild case of flu.

6. gentle or moderate in force or effect.

   mild penalties.

   Antonyms:

   harsh

7. soft; pleasant.

   mild sunshine.

8. moderate in intensity, degree, or character.

   mild regret.

9. British Dialect. comparatively soft and easily worked, as soil, wood, or stone.

10. Obsolete. kind or gracious.

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noun

1. British. beer that has a blander taste than bitter.

mild British  

/ maɪld /

adjective

1. (of a taste, sensation, etc) not powerful or strong; bland

   a mild curry

2. gentle or temperate in character, climate, behaviour, etc

3. not extreme; moderate

   a mild rebuke

4. feeble; unassertive

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noun

1. draught beer, of darker colour than bitter and flavoured with fewer hops

Related Words

See gentle.

Other Word Forms

• mildly adverb
• mildness noun
• overmild adjective
• semimild adjective
• semimildness noun

Etymology

Origin of mild

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English milde; cognate with German mild; akin to Greek malthakós “soft”

Example Sentences

If temperatures look mild, consider bringing long sleeves for the evening because it does get cold.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

A score of one to 100 means you have mild plaque; 100 to 300 indicates moderate plaque; and 300 to 1,000 is severe plaque.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Critics also point to the disruption caused by changing the clocks, often comparing it to mild, nationwide jet lag.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Management boosted its 2025 gross margin back to historically normal levels through mild price increases, and produced 12% earnings per share growth.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“Oh, hey,” Dimple said, suddenly remembering in a mild panic that she hadn't come up with any good responses.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• balmy
• benign
• bland
• breezy
• calm
• cool
• delicate
• mellow
• moderate
• peaceful
• smooth
• soft
• sunny
• tepid
• warm
• weak