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View synonyms for wild

wild

[ wahyld ]

adjective

, wild·er, wild·est.
  1. living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated:

    a wild animal;

    wild geese.

    Synonyms: ferocious, unbroken

    Antonyms: tame

  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.

    Synonyms: savage, barbarian

  5. of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious:

    wild strife;

    wild storms.

    Synonyms: turbulent, frenzied, stormy, tempestuous

  6. characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's appearance:

    wild cries;

    a wild look.

    Synonyms: boisterous

  7. frantic or distracted; crazy:

    to drive someone wild.

    Synonyms: insane

  8. violently or uncontrollably affected:

    wild with rage;

    wild with pain.

  9. undisciplined, unruly, or lawless:

    a gang of wild boys.

    Synonyms: self-willed, wayward, unrestrained, riotous

  10. unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled:

    wild enthusiasm.

    Synonyms: uncontrollable

  11. disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence:

    He repented his wild youth.

  12. unrestrained by reason or prudence:

    wild schemes.

    Synonyms: rash, reckless, impracticable, extravagant

  13. amazing or incredible:

    Isn't that wild about Bill getting booted out of the club?

    Synonyms: fanciful, strange, bizarre, grotesque

  14. disorderly or disheveled:

    wild hair.

    Synonyms: unkempt

  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.


adverb

  1. in a wild manner; wildly.

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.

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.

wild

1

/ waɪld /

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; desolate

    a wild stretch of land

  4. living in a savage or uncivilized way

    wild tribes

  5. lacking restraint

    wild merriment

  6. of great violence or intensity

    a wild storm

  7. disorderly or chaotic

    wild thoughts

    wild talk

  8. dishevelled; untidy

    wild hair

  9. in a state of extreme emotional intensity

    wild with anger

  10. reckless

    wild speculations

  11. not calculated; random

    a wild guess

  12. unconventional; fantastic; crazy

    wild friends

  13. informal.
    postpositivefoll byabout 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 pleases

    jacks are wild

  15. wild and woolly
    1. rough; untamed; barbarous
    2. (of theories, plans, etc) not fully thought out
“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

adverb

  1. in a wild manner
  2. run wild
    1. to grow without cultivation or care
    2. to behave without restraint
“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

noun

  1. often plural a desolate, uncultivated, or uninhabited region
  2. the wild
    1. a free natural state of living
    2. the wilderness
“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

Wild

2

/ waɪld /

noun

  1. WildJonathan?16821725MBritishCRIME AND POLICING: criminal 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
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈwildish, adjective
  • ˈwildly, adverb
  • ˈwildness, noun
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Other Words From

  • wildly adverb
  • wildness noun
  • half-wild adjective
  • half-wildly adverb
  • half-wildness noun
  • over·wild adjective
  • over·wildly adverb
  • over·wildness noun
  • semi·wild adjective
  • semi·wildly adverb
  • semi·wildness noun
  • un·wild adjective
  • un·wildly adverb
  • un·wildness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wild1

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English wilde; cognate with Dutch, German wild, Old Norse villr, Swedish vild, Gothic wiltheis
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wild1

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

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.

More idioms and phrases containing wild

  • go hog wild
  • go wilding
  • run amok (wild)
  • sow one's wild oats
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Example Sentences

Mr. Davis, the former head of digital art at Christie’s in Manhattan, was recalling one of the wildest crazes ever.

Forest Service Christmas tree permit, Lyon and his wife, Amelia, trek to a national forest near their home in Missoula, Mont., to find a wild evergreen.

The world’s oldest known wild bird is an albatross named Wisdom.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said "wild threats of tactical nuclear use" by Russia and China, Iran's failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea's "erratic behaviour" were among the threats facing the West.

From BBC

The team caught wild mosquitoes and catalogued bacterial species in their gastrointestinal tracts to see if any could affect the mosquito's ability to harbor and transmit pathogens.

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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.

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