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View synonyms for

wild

[wahyld]

adjective

wilder, wildest 
  1. living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated.

    a wild animal;

    wild geese.

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

    wild strife;

    wild storms.

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

    wild cries;

    a wild look.

    Synonyms:
  7. frantic or distracted; crazy.

    to drive someone wild.

    Synonyms:
  8. violently or uncontrollably affected.

    wild with rage;

    wild with pain.

  9. undisciplined, unruly, or lawless.

    a gang of wild boys.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  10. unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled.

    wild enthusiasm.

    Synonyms:
  11. disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence.

    He repented his wild youth.

  12. unrestrained by reason or prudence.

    wild schemes.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  13. amazing or incredible.

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

    Synonyms: , , ,
  14. disorderly or disheveled.

    wild hair.

    Synonyms:
  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)

wilded, wilding 
  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

/ ɲɪ /

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. informalintensely 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

    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

    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

    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

/ ɲɪ /

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

“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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Other Word Forms

  • wildly adverb
  • wildness noun
  • half-wild adjective
  • half-wildly adverb
  • half-wildness noun
  • overwild adjective
  • overwildly adverb
  • overwildness noun
  • semiwild adjective
  • semiwildly adverb
  • semiwildness noun
  • unwild adjective
  • unwildly adverb
  • unwildness noun
  • ˈɾ徱 adjective
  • ˈɾ adverb
  • ˈɾԱ 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. 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.

  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. blow wild, (of an oil or gas well) to spout in an uncontrolled way, as in a blowout.

In addition to the idioms beginning with wild, also see go hog wild; go wilding; run amok (wild); sow one's wild oats.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It might sound strange because these aren’t conventionally “joyful” reads but the unexpected beauty on each page — the wild poetry — is both inspiring and reassuring.

From

There are fewer than 23,000 rhinos left in the wild, and around 400 are killed annually in recent years.

From

A spokesperson said: "Breeding endangered species like these Loris are what zoos like ours are all about, ensuring that there is a captive population whilst numbers struggle in the wild."

From

But Spaun birdied the 17th to move one clear and then produced his moment of magic on the final green to send the drenched masses surround the putting surface wild.

From

There is general agreement that we are no longer dealing with either a purely urban, human environment or a purely wild and untouched one.

From

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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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Wilcoxon testwild-and-woolly