Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

wild

[wahyld]
See more synonyms for wild on Thesaurus.com
adjective, wild·er, wild·est.
  1. living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated: a wild animal; wild geese.
  2. growing or produced without cultivation or the care of humans, as plants, flowers, fruit, or honey: wild cherries.
  3. uncultivated, uninhabited, or waste: wild country.
  4. uncivilized or barbarous: wild tribes.
  5. of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious: wild strife; wild storms.
  6. characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's appearance: wild cries; a wild look.
  7. frantic or distracted; crazy: to drive someone wild.
  8. violently or uncontrollably affected: wild with rage; wild with pain.
  9. undisciplined, unruly, or lawless: a gang of wild boys.
  10. unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled: wild enthusiasm.
  11. disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence: He repented his wild youth.
  12. unrestrained by reason or prudence: wild schemes.
  13. amazing or incredible: Isn't that wild about Bill getting booted out of the club?
  14. disorderly or disheveled: wild hair.
  15. wide of the mark: He scored on a wild throw.
  16. Informal. intensely eager or enthusiastic: wild to get started; wild about the new styles.
  17. Cards. (of a card) having its value decided by the wishes of the players.
  18. Metallurgy. (of molten metal) generating large amounts of gas during cooling, so as to cause violent bubbling.
Show More
adverb
  1. in a wild manner; wildly.
Show More
noun
  1. Often wilds. an uncultivated, uninhabited, or desolate region or tract; waste; wilderness; desert: a cabin in the wild; a safari to the wilds of Africa.
Show More
verb (used with object), wild·ed, wild·ing.
  1. to travel around as a group, attacking or assaulting (people) in a random and violent way: The man was wilded and left for dead.
Show More
Idioms
  1. blow wild, (of an oil or gas well) to spout in an uncontrolled way, as in a blowout.Compare blowout(def 4).
  2. in the wild,
    1. in a natural state or in the wilderness.
    2. in the real world; in real life:language learning in the classroom and in the wild.
  3. run wild,
    1. to grow unchecked: The rambler roses are running wild.
    2. to show lack of restraint or control: Those children are allowed to run wild.
Show More

Origin of wild

before 900; Middle English, Old English wilde; cognate with Dutch, German wild, Old Norse villr, Swedish vild, Gothic wiltheis
Related formswild·ly, adverbwild·ness, nounhalf-wild, adjectivehalf-wild·ly, adverbhalf-wild·ness, nouno·ver·wild, adjectiveo·ver·wild·ly, adverbo·ver·wild·ness, nounsem·i·wild, adjectivesem·i·wild·ly, adverbsem·i·wild·ness, nounun·wild, adjectiveun·wild·ly, adverbun·wild·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com
1. undomesticated, untamed, unbroken; ferocious. 4. barbarian, savage. 5. tempestuous, stormy, frenzied, turbulent. 6. boisterous. 7. insane. 9. self-willed, riotous, unrestrained, wayward. 10. uncontrollable. 12. reckless, rash, extravagant, impracticable. 13. grotesque, bizarre, strange, fanciful. 14. unkempt.

Antonyms

1. tame.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

savageprimitivenaturallushfreebarbarianwastedesertoverrunnativecrazyirrationalnutsrashmadcapeagerroughravingberserkprofligate

Examples from the Web for wild

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • And the wild ducklings are out on the pool, and the woods are full of song.

    The Armourer's Prentices

    Charlotte M. Yonge

  • Wild, Quixotic notions of sacrifice flooded his mood of dejection.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • The other idea was absurd—too wild for serious consideration.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • Twas a wild goose chase, and I wot not what moved me to run after it.

    The Armourer's Prentices

    Charlotte M. Yonge

  • Therewith, spite of the wild dress, Dennet knew the eyes and the voice.

    The Armourer's Prentices

    Charlotte M. Yonge

British Dictionary definitions for wild

wild

adjective
  1. (of animals) living independently of man; not domesticated or tame
  2. (of plants) growing in a natural state; not cultivated
  3. uninhabited or uncultivated; desolatea wild stretch of land
  4. living in a savage or uncivilized waywild tribes
  5. lacking restraintwild merriment
  6. of great violence or intensitya wild storm
  7. disorderly or chaoticwild thoughts; wild talk
  8. dishevelled; untidywild hair
  9. in a state of extreme emotional intensitywild with anger
  10. recklesswild speculations
  11. not calculated; randoma wild guess
  12. unconventional; fantastic; crazywild friends
  13. (postpositive foll by about) informal intensely enthusiastic or excited
  14. (of a card, such as a joker or deuce in some games) able to be given any value the holder pleasesjacks are wild
  15. wild and woolly
    1. rough; untamed; barbarous
    2. (of theories, plans, etc) not fully thought out
Show More
adverb
  1. in a wild manner
  2. run wild
    1. to grow without cultivation or care
    2. to behave without restraint
Show More
noun
  1. (often plural) a desolate, uncultivated, or uninhabited region
  2. the wild
    1. a free natural state of living
    2. the wilderness
Show More
Derived Formswildish, adjectivewildly, adverbwildness, noun

Word Origin

Old English wilde; related to Old Saxon, Old High German wildi, Old Norse villr, Gothic wiltheis

Wild

noun
  1. Jonathan. ?1682–1725, British criminal, who organized a network of thieves, highwaymen, etc, while also working as an informer: said to have sent over a hundred men to the gallows before being hanged himself
Show More
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wild

adj.

Old English wilde "in the natural state, uncultivated, undomesticated," from Proto-Germanic *wilthijaz (cf. Old Saxon wildi, Old Norse villr, Old Frisian wilde, Dutch wild, Old High German wildi, German wild, Gothic wilþeis "wild," German Wild (n.) "game"), probably from PIE *ghwelt- (cf. Welsh gwyllt "untamed"), related to the base of Latin ferus (see fierce).

Ursula ... hath bin at all the Salsbury rasis, dancing like wild with Mr Clarks. [letter, 1674]

Meaning "sexually dissolute, loose" is attested from mid-13c. U.S. slang sense of "exciting, excellent" is recorded from 1955. The noun meaning "uncultivated or desolate region" is first attested 1590s in the wilds. Baseball wild pitch is recorded from 1867. Wildest dreams first attested 1961 (in Carson McCullers). Wild West first recorded 1849. Wild Turkey brand of whiskey (Austin Nichols Co.) in use from 1942.

Show More

v.

"to run wild," Old English awildian (see wild (adj.)). Wilding in the teen gang sense first recorded 1989.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with wild

wild

In addition to the idioms beginning with wild

  • wild about, be
  • wild card
  • wild goose chase
  • wild horses couldn't drag me
  • wild oats
  • wild pitch

also see:

  • go hog wild
  • go wilding
  • run amok (wild)
  • sow one's wild oats
Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.