wild

adjective

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\ ˈwī(-ə)ld

Definition of wild

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : living in a state of nature and not ordinarily tame or domesticated wild ducks

b(1) : growing or produced without human aid or care wild honey

(2) : related to or resembling a corresponding cultivated or domesticated organism

c : of or relating to wild organisms the wild state

2a : not inhabited or cultivated wild land

b : not amenable to human habitation or cultivation also : desolate

3a(1) : not subject to restraint or regulation : uncontrolled also : unruly

(2) : emotionally overcome wild with grief also : passionately eager or enthusiastic was wild to own a toy train — J. C. Furnas

b : marked by turbulent agitation : stormy a wild night

c : going beyond normal or conventional bounds : fantastic wild ideas also : sensational

d : indicative of strong passion, desire, or emotion a wild gleam of delight in his eyes — Irish Digest

4 : uncivilized, barbaric

5 : characteristic of, appropriate to, or expressive of wilderness, wildlife, or a simple or uncivilized society

6a : deviating from the intended or expected course wild spelling— C. W. Cunnington the throw was wild also : tending to throw inaccurately a wild pitcher

b : having no basis in known or surmised fact a wild guess

7 of a playing card : able to represent any card designated by the holder

wild

noun

Definition of wild (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : a sparsely inhabited or uncultivated region or tract : wilderness

2 : a wild, free, or natural state or existence

wild

adverb

Definition of wild (Entry 3 of 3)

: in a wild manner: such as

a : without regulation or control plants that grow wild

b : off an intended or expected course

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Other Words from wild Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing wild Learn More About wild

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Other Words from wild

Adjective

wildish \ ˈwī(-ə)l-dish

\ adjective

wildness \ ˈwī(-ə)ld-nəs

\ noun

Examples of wild in a Sentence

Adjective wild places high in the mountains I felt a wild rage. He was wild with anger. The crowd went wild when the band took the stage. Noun They hiked through the wilds of Maine. The plants were collected from the wild. They will return the animal to the wild when it is healthy. Could these animals survive in the wild? I've only seen that animal in a zoo, never in the wild. Adverb These plants grow wild on the roadside. as soon as the doors opened, early-morning bargain hunters ran wild through the store See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Bee experts later found that the yellow dots were excretions by massive swarms of wild honeybees. — Katie Hunt, CNN, 20 May 2022 Blamey’s version—developed with Arielle Johnson, a food-science Ph.D. who has worked at Noma—is derived from quince and wild rose hips. — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 20 May 2022 Hirata acknowledges the risk involved in harvesting these wild ingredients, as well as the possible threat of locals or tourists exploiting these scarce resources by trying to harvest them en masse. — Rachel Ng, Bon Appétit, 19 May 2022 In parts of central and west Africa, people can be exposed to the virus through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or having contact with an infected animal or animal products. — Joel Shannon, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022 Pinch-runner Matt Reynolds scored from first and Farmer went to third, while Almora was thrown out at second base by Andres Gimenez, who retrieved Stephan’s wild throw. — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 19 May 2022 Making foie gras requires a force-feeding process, which causes liver expansion similar to what wild ducks undergo before migration but on a greater scale. — Megan Keller, WSJ, 19 May 2022 In the wild world of animal medication, known as zoopharmacognosy, various creatures ranging from great apes to insects utilize natural remedies to stay healthy. — Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 19 May 2022 Humans can get monkeypox from animals, either through bites or scratches or preparing meat from wild game, according to the CDC. — Aria Bendix, NBC News, 19 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Outdoor enthusiasts and dog owners have a common enemy in the wild: ticks. — Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2022 White truffles, which only grow in the wild, are so coveted that they're sold for huge sums of money. — Janelle Davis, CNN, 8 May 2022 Although no further information is offered, this would usually indicate vulnerabilities of a critical nature that may already be subject to exploitation in the wild. — Davey Winder, Forbes, 7 May 2022 The total population now numbers more than 500 birds in captivity and in the wild. — CBS News, 4 May 2022 In the meantime, Devil’s Hole pupfish in the wild still face serious problems due to their precarious life cycle and the environmental extremes that visit their hellish habitat. — Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2022 In the wild, flamingos can fly away from danger but the zoo’s flamingos had their wings clipped and were likely unable to defend themselves against the fox, zoo officials said. — Washington Post, 3 May 2022 Finding an ethical wildlife-travel experience requires research, analysis, and a B.S. meter for greenwashing jargon, not to mention a solid understanding of the dos and don’ts of animal encounters in the wild. — Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 3 May 2022 No one has ever grown sequoias in the wild at this scale and the methodology of re-engineering the forests is unproven. — Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb Meats are certified as free from antibiotics, steroids, and hormones, and seafood is wild-caught or sustainably raised. — Erica Sweeney, SELF, 4 Jan. 2022 How many endorsements offers will a tailback for Clemson or Georgia receive on Sunday morning after running wild on Saturday night? — Terence Moore, Forbes, 1 Sep. 2021 Fraud could manifest as claims of farmed shrimp being wild-caught, or as complete misrepresentations of the species you’re supposedly being served. — Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Jan. 2021 All seafood is wild-caught sustainably in Alaska, flash frozen and packed in coolers with dry ice. — Eleanore Park, WSJ, 10 Dec. 2020 Chavie had been afraid to talk to such a wild-sounding person as Chani Getter, but on the phone Chani was very friendly. — Larissa Macfarquhar, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2020 Unlike most property owners, the couple wants wild-growing weeds and as many animals walking around and pooping on their property as possible. — Dallas News, 5 Oct. 2020 In 2020, there’s no excuse for a wild-flying broadhead. — Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 22 Sep. 2020 Once this bushveld stretched wild over half of the country, but today it has been largely partitioned off and contained behind tall fences. — Lois Parshley, Scientific American, 1 May 2018 See More

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

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