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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Confidence: High Tonight: A light breeze from the southwest starts to bring in a milder air mass. Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 29 Nov. 2023 Despite the economic legacy, however, some more recent reports suggest that the financial benefits for host cities could be mild, with the modern-day costs of hosting the events ballooning and revenues struggling to keep up. James Farrell, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Current research shows that egg consumption has a mild increase in LDL and HDL cholesterol levels and some portion of the population is more impacted than others. Rebecca Jaspan, Mph, Rd, Health, 29 Nov. 2023 But as recession fears pick back up again (although said impending recession looks to some experts to be mild), there’s a change blowing in the wind amid the holiday season. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023 This bright orange fall and winter fruit is native to China and commonly used in Asian cuisine; persimmons are beloved for their mild, slightly-sweet flavor and soft, pudding-like interior. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023 Figueroa said the Chinese government’s criticism of Israel had been relatively mild but seemed harsh compared with the initial stance of the U.S. and other Western countries, which emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself and resisted calls for a cease-fire. Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2023 Most exfoliating scrubs rely on harsh ground-up shell or mild acids to clear off your dead skin, but Tatcha's formula uses a gentle combo of extra-fine rice bran and papaya enzymes. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 20 Nov. 2023 Drake also finds time to take a mild swipe at Kanye West in a couplet suggesting that the long-running feud between them is not quite settled. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023 See More

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 2 Dec. 2023.

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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