Wild West

American  

noun

1. the western frontier region of the U.S., before the establishment of stable government.

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Wild West British  

noun

1. the western US during its settlement, esp with reference to its frontier lawlessness

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Etymology

Origin of Wild West

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Example Sentences

This was also the heyday of traveling extravaganzas like Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West shows, which featured hundreds of performers re-enacting frontier battles and showing off their hunting and sharpshooting skills.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We will protect them from the digital Wild West," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.

From BBC

“We will protect them from the digital Wild West.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The patchwork efforts to identify and safely remove contamination left by the 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires has been akin to the Wild West.

From Los Angeles Times

In the second half of the 19th century, Buffalo Bill Cody turned the Wild West into a global sensation.

From The Wall Street Journal