1
: gentle in nature or behavior
has a mild disposition
2
a(1)
: moderate in action or effect
a mild sedative
(2)
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
mild cheese
mild ale
b
: not being or involving what is extreme
an analysis under mild conditions
3
: not severe : temperate
a mild climate
mild symptoms of disease
mildly adverb
mildness noun

Examples of mild in a Sentence

He has a mild manner. He was a mild-mannered man who rarely became angry. They had a mild disagreement. She has a mild case of the flu. He suffered a mild concussion attack. a mild reprimand, not a stern one We've been having a very mild winter.
Recent Examples on the Web The road up is winding, filled with switchbacks, hanging vines and vistas where, on mild nights, couples linger in cars against the backdrop of Honolulu’s city lights. Kristina Linnea Garcia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Dozens of locations have experienced the mildest winter since 1950. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 Invasive species like Michigan's milder winters Michigan's harsher winters have been a historic barrier to a variety of invasive species that are more pervasive in the southern U.S., said Joanne Foreman, invasive species communications coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Related: For most mild infections, long Covid symptoms clear after a year, large study finds That imposed a substantial burden. Ashish K. Jha, STAT, 6 Mar. 2024 For some counties, that could mean shifting money away from existing programs to help those with milder symptoms, which some officials worry could force cuts to programs and staff. Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 In recent years, however, their migration patterns have been shifting in response to milder winters and larger temperature fluctuations in the fall and spring. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 The disappointment will however be mild, not just because there are plenty of other plaintive insights on offer, but because everything here is mild. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 These new viruses differ widely in their risk to human health, ranging from the rare and mild illness caused by the Menangle virus to the devastating public health impact of the virus that causes COVID-19. Raúl Rivas González, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English milde; akin to Greek malthakos soft, Latin mollis — more at melt

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mild was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mild

Cite this Entry

“Mild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mild. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mild

adjective
1
: gentle in nature or behavior
a mild person
2
a
: not strong in action or effect
a mild drug
b
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
a mild cheese
3
: not severe : temperate sense 5
mild weather
mildly adverb
mildness noun

Medical Definition

mild

adjective
1
: moderate in action or effect
a mild drug
2
: not severe
a mild case of the flu

More from Merriam-Webster on mild

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