Wild West

noun

: the western U.S. in its frontier period characterized by roughness and lawlessness
Wild West adjective

Examples of Wild West in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These little mountain villages are chock-full of relics from the area's Wild West days, from museums like the Ouray Alchemist Pharmacy Museum to mining tours in Telluride. Adam Lapetina, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2024 This Wild West of image-altering abilities is opening new frontiers for everyday people — and creating headaches for those who expect photos to be a documentary representation of reality. Deepti Hajela, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 It was released nearly 30 years ago, at the latter end of the hinterland between the original movie trilogy and The Phantom Menace, during a Wild West moment for Star Wars, when the canon was tested with every book and comic. Matt Gardner, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Mary Fields), a real-life Wild West icon who provides transportation and conversation with equal measures of sagacious sass. Joe Leydon, Variety, 29 Feb. 2024 Now Angel is out both for revenge and the gold, his replacement brass hand giving him the air of a Wild West Captain Hook. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2024 The judge tried to curtail the shenanigans at play, but the zany Wild West feverish clamoring was difficult to keep within the bounds of proper courtroom decorum. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Wallace later spent four years as governor of the New Mexico Territory during its lawless, Wild West period and captured Billy the Kid. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2024 Until then, Vegas casinos typically sported rustic Wild West themes, but Siegel ushered in an era of unbridled opulence. Chris Carra, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Wild West.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wild West was in 1844

Dictionary Entries Near Wild West

Cite this Entry

“Wild West.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wild%20West. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Wild West

noun
: the western U.S. in its frontier period characterized by roughness and lawlessness
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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