Advertisement

Advertisement

wild oats

plural noun

  1. slang,  the indiscretions of youth, esp dissoluteness before settling down (esp in the phrase sow one's wild oats )

“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


Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Discover More

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.

“In a way, she is sowing her wild oats,” Tom says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When the ne’er-do-well scion of a Russian oligarch sows his wild oats a little too enthusiastically with New York stripper Ani, some serious people are summoned.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the bad, late-'90s cable version of this story, Minda's sowing her wild oats but eventually realizes he's the one, and then they get married and have babies and whatever.

Read more on Salon

There's a sexist myth that only men want to sow wild oats, but of course, women also have sexual fantasies.

Read more on Salon

After we split, I took a couple of years to “sow my wild oats” and to find out who I am without him.

Read more on Washington Post

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


wild oatwild olive