wilder
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to cause to lose one's way.
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to bewilder.
verb (used without object)
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to lose one's way.
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to be bewildered.
adjective
noun
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Billy Samuel Wilder, 1906–2002, U.S. film director, producer, and writer; born in Austria.
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Laura Ingalls 1867–1957, U.S. writer of children's books.
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Thornton (Niven) 1897–1975, U.S. novelist and playwright.
noun
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Billy, real name Samuel Wilder. 1906–2002, US film director and screenwriter, born in Austria. His films include Double Indemnity (1944), The Lost Weekend (1945), Sunset Boulevard (1950), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Some Like it Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), and Buddy Buddy (1981)
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Thornton. 1897–1975 US novelist and dramatist. His works include the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927) and the play The Skin of Our Teeth (1942)
verb
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to lead or be led astray
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to bewilder or become bewildered
Other Word Forms
- wilderment noun
Etymology
Origin of wilder
First recorded in 1605–15; perhaps extracted from wilderness; intransitive use probably by association with wander
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She had once tried acting in New York, which means that she lived a wilder life once and is something of an improviser.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Some of the wilder estimates of $200 for Brent suggest to Brooks an assumption that price elasticity is zero – in other words, demand is not impacted at all.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
The latest series of The Traitors is coming to an end after weeks of wild accusations, wilder betrayals and Claudia Winkleman's devious looks-to-camera.
From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026
This was unfolding before Trump’s return, but the demand forecasts got wilder as data-center construction accelerated.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
She tried to enjoy the way the days had been turning warmer, the grass wilder and greener.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
