mild

adjective \ ˈmī(-ə)ld \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Examples: mild in a Sentence

Definition of mild

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

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mildly

play \mī(-ə)l(d)-lē\ adverb

—

mildness

play \ˈmī(-ə)l(d)-nəs\ noun

See mild defined for English-language learners

See mild defined for kids

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 of mild from the Web

My favorite all-purpose option is Dijon mustard, which is milder than spicy brown or classic yellow but still packs a zesty punch that pairs well with the vinegar and cuts through oil.

— becky krystal, sacbee, "Shake it up: Lots of vinaigrette options," 10 July 2018
The United States did not use adjuvanted vaccine during the 2009 pandemic, which was mild by historic comparisons.

— helen branswell, STAT, "A stubborn medical mystery: Was pandemic flu vaccine tied to an increase in narcolepsy cases?," 5 July 2018
My favorite all-purpose option is Dijon mustard, which is milder than spicy brown or classic yellow but still packs a zesty punch that pairs well with the vinegar and cuts through oil.

— becky krystal, chicagotribune.com, "How to leave those bottled dressings behind and make your own vinaigrette," 29 June 2018
But wine will be delicious, too, especially since the array of chiles topping this burger is fairly mild.

— david tanis, New York Times, "A Cheeseburger That Brings the Summer Heat," 29 June 2018
The crowd was milder than Mr. Trump’s campaign-style rallies.

— shayndi raice, WSJ, "Trump Touts Return of U.S. Manufacturing Jobs at Foxconn Groundbreaking," 28 June 2018
While the Southern Barents is milder, the northern Barents has - until recently - had all the characteristics of an Arctic sea.

— chris mooney, Anchorage Daily News, "A huge stretch of the Arctic Ocean is turning into the Atlantic right before our eyes," 27 June 2018
Health Department officials said illness from West Nile is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, and death are possible.

— staff report, Aurora Beacon-News, "Mosquitoes near Elburn test positive for West Nile virus," 15 June 2018
The rest were slower to develop cholera symptoms, and the symptoms were milder.

— richard conniff, Scientific American, "New Probiotic Cholera Vaccine Can Outrace the Infection’s Rapid Spread," 13 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mild.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of mild

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

mild Synonyms

MILD Defined for English Language Learners

mild

adjective

Definition of mild for English Language Learners

: gentle in nature or behavior
: not strong in action or effect
: not strong or harsh in taste

MILD Defined for Kids

mild

adjective \ ˈmīld \

Definition of mild for Students

milder; mildest

1 : gentle in personality or behavior

a mild young man

2 : not strong or harsh in action or effect

mild soap

3 : not sharp, spicy, or bitter

mild cheese

4 : not extreme or severe

mild weather

a mild headache

—

mildly

adverb

spoke mildly

—

mildness

noun

Medical Dictionary

mild

adjective \ ˈmī(ə)ld \

medical Definition of mild

1 : moderate in action or effect

a mild drug

2 : not severe

a mild case of the flu

Learn More about mild

See words that rhyme with mild Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mild Spanish Central: Translation of mild Nglish: Translation of mild for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mild for Arabic speakers

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MILD Defined for English Language Learners

mild

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mild

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