wild man
Americannoun
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a person who is uncivilized; a savage.
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a person of violent temper, erratic behavior, etc.
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a person of extreme or outrageous political opinions.
noun
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a savage
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an extremist in politics
Etymology
Origin of wild man
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300
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.
“He was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers, and chose instead to act like a wild man, chose instead to play around,” Rubio told reporters Saturday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026
She also linked it with various other figures from English folklore, like the woodwose, a wild man covered in fur.
From Slate • Apr. 8, 2023
Jerry Lee Lewis, the original wild man of rock ‘n’ roll whose explosive records, fiery performances and real-life scandals made him one of the genre’s most fascinating and fearsome figures, died on Friday.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2022
In a country song tailored to Lewis’s wild man reputation, he sings about a faithful, temperate life.
From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2022
I felt like a wild man who had stumbled in from the jungle to tear the place apart.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
