wild
living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated: a wild animal;wild geese.
growing or produced without cultivation or the care of humans, as plants, flowers, fruit, or honey: wild cherries.
uncultivated, uninhabited, or waste: wild country.
uncivilized or barbarous: wild tribes.
of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious: wild strife;wild storms.
characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's appearance: wild cries;a wild look.
frantic or distracted; crazy: to drive someone wild.
violently or uncontrollably affected: wild with rage;wild with pain.
undisciplined, unruly, or lawless: a gang of wild boys.
unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled: wild enthusiasm.
disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence: He repented his wild youth.
unrestrained by reason or prudence: wild schemes.
amazing or incredible: Isn't that wild about Bill getting booted out of the club?
disorderly or disheveled: wild hair.
wide of the mark: He scored on a wild throw.
Informal. intensely eager or enthusiastic: wild to get started;wild about the new styles.
Cards. (of a card) having its value decided by the wishes of the players.
Metallurgy. (of molten metal) generating large amounts of gas during cooling, so as to cause violent bubbling.
in a wild manner; wildly.
Often wilds . an uncultivated, uninhabited, or desolate region or tract; waste; wilderness; desert: a cabin in the wild;a safari to the wilds of Africa.
to travel around as a group, attacking or assaulting (people) in a random and violent way: The man was wilded and left for dead.
Idioms about wild
blow wild, (of an oil or gas well) to spout in an uncontrolled way, as in a blowout.: Compare blowout (def. 4).
in the wild,
in a natural state or in the wilderness.
in the real world; in real life:language learning in the classroom and in the wild.
run wild,
to grow unchecked: The rambler roses are running wild.
to show lack of restraint or control: Those children are allowed to run wild.
Origin of wild
1Other words for wild
1 | undomesticated, untamed, unbroken; ferocious |
4 | barbarian, savage |
5 | tempestuous, stormy, frenzied, turbulent |
6 | boisterous |
7 | insane |
9 | self-willed, riotous, unrestrained, wayward |
10 | uncontrollable |
12 | reckless, rash, extravagant, impracticable |
13 | grotesque, bizarre, strange, fanciful |
14 | unkempt |
Opposites for wild
Other words from wild
- wildly, adverb
- wildness, noun
- half-wild, adjective
- half-wildly, adverb
- half-wildness, noun
- o·ver·wild, adjective
- o·ver·wild·ly, adverb
- o·ver·wild·ness, noun
- sem·i·wild, adjective
- sem·i·wild·ly, adverb
- sem·i·wild·ness, noun
- un·wild, adjective
- un·wild·ly, adverb
- un·wild·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for wild (1 of 2)
/ (waɪld) /
(of animals) living independently of man; not domesticated or tame
(of plants) growing in a natural state; not cultivated
uninhabited or uncultivated; desolate: a wild stretch of land
living in a savage or uncivilized way: wild tribes
lacking restraint: wild merriment
of great violence or intensity: a wild storm
disorderly or chaotic: wild thoughts; wild talk
dishevelled; untidy: wild hair
in a state of extreme emotional intensity: wild with anger
reckless: wild speculations
not calculated; random: a wild guess
unconventional; fantastic; crazy: wild friends
(postpositive foll by about) informal intensely enthusiastic or excited
(of a card, such as a joker or deuce in some games) able to be given any value the holder pleases: jacks are wild
wild and woolly
rough; untamed; barbarous
(of theories, plans, etc) not fully thought out
in a wild manner
run wild
to grow without cultivation or care
to behave without restraint
(often plural) a desolate, uncultivated, or uninhabited region
the wild
a free natural state of living
the wilderness
Origin of wild
1Derived forms of wild
- wildish, adjective
- wildly, adverb
- wildness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Wild (2 of 2)
/ (waɪld) /
Jonathan. ?1682–1725, British criminal, who organized a network of thieves, highwaymen, etc, while also working as an informer: said to have sent over a hundred men to the gallows before being hanged himself
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with wild
In addition to the idioms beginning with wild
- wild about, be
- wild card
- wild goose chase
- wild horses couldn't drag me
- wild oats
- wild pitch
also see:
- go hog wild
- go wilding
- run amok (wild)
- sow one's wild oats
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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