wild

Formswilder, wildest

Formswilds, wilding, wilded

1. 1
   natural (not farmed)adjective

   Living or growing in a natural state, not tamed or raised by humans: whether native to the wild or having reverted after escaping domestic life.

   Conservationists tracked a herd of wild elephants through the reserve.

   Some of these wild goats descend from animals that wandered off farms generations ago.

   UsageBefore the noun (wild horses) or after grow: flowers that grow wild.

   Similaruntamed, undomesticated, feral

   Oppositetame

2. 2
   adjective

   Free from restraint or inhibition; acting without the usual checks on behavior.

   Their wild dancing carried on long after the music stopped.

   Away from her strict parents for the first time, she let her wild side out and danced on tables until dawn.

   UsageOften run wild or go wild: the kids ran wild in the yard.

   Similarunrestrained, uninhibited, frenzied, crazy

   Oppositerestrained, calm, controlled

3. 3
   crazy (surprising)adjectiveslang

   Astonishing, outrageous, or hard to believe, sometimes in an impressive way.

   It's wild how fast the rumor spread through the whole town.

   The ending of that movie was wild. Nobody saw it coming.

   UsageOften it's wild how or it's wild that: it's wild how fast it spread.

   Similarcrazy, insane, outrageous, unbelievable

   Note

   Here the surprise tips toward disbelief, sometimes disapproval, though it can also be admiring. The word fits a rumor that spreads impossibly fast or an ending nobody saw coming. This is slang, heard mostly in short reactions like that's wild or it's wild how.

4. 4
   noununcountablewith the

   The natural, untamed condition in which an animal lives free of human control.

   Conservationists returned the rehabilitated eagle to the wild after months of care.

   Animals raised entirely in captivity rarely adapt well to the wild.

   UsageAnimals live in the wild and are released into the wild or back to the wild.

   Similarnature

   Oppositecaptivity

   Note

   It names a condition rather than a place on a map, which is why an animal can be returned to it. The noun always takes the, as in returned to the wild, and is often set against captivity. The place itself, remote land far from settlement, is the "wilderness" meaning.

5. 5
   adjective

   Raucous and unruly, or marked by a lack of moral restraint.

   The bar grew wild and rowdy well past midnight.

   He looked back on his wild years with a mix of pride and regret.

   UsageCommon in a wild party and someone's wild years.

   Similarrowdy, unruly, riotous, boisterous, raucous

   Oppositequiet, orderly, sedate, tame

   Note

   The meaning covers both noise and excess. With parties and years, the word leans toward the licentious: a wild party draws the police, and someone's wild years are remembered for their excesses.

6. 6
   untouched naturenoununcountableplural

   An untamed region of natural land, far from human settlement.

   The cabin sat deep in the wild, miles from the nearest road.

   After two weeks hiking through the wilds of Montana, the travelers were glad to see a paved road again.

   UsageOften the wilds of + a place: the wilds of Montana.

   Similarwilderness, backcountry, bush

   Note

   The word is chiefly used in the plural, as in the wilds of Montana, for remote country far from roads and towns. Oliver Goldsmith's lines on Switzerland show the warmth the plural can carry, since the harsh country there is still loved as home: "every good his native wilds impart."

7. 7
   adjective

   Originating from or connected to creatures that live untamed in nature.

   The lodge served wild venison and foraged mushrooms for dinner.

   Many chefs say wild venison has a richer flavor than meat from farmed deer.

   Oppositedomestic

8. 8
   way offadjective

   Greatly inaccurate; far off the intended mark.

   The pitcher's wild throw went nowhere near the base.

   His first throw was so wild that it sailed over the catcher and into the stands.

   UsageCommon in sports: a wild throw, a wild pitch.

   Similarinaccurate, errant, erratic

   Oppositeaccurate, precise

9. 9
   stand-inadjective

   Able to stand in for any other item, such as a card in a game or a character in a computer search pattern.

   The dealer announced that one-eyed jacks were wild.

   We played poker with deuces wild, so every two in the deck could stand for any card a player needed.

   UsageUsually after be: jokers are wild, or deuces wild.

   Note

   The word behind wildcard: a card or symbol that can take the place of any other. In computing it describes characters in a search pattern. A 2009 volume of genetic programming conference papers writes wild characters where most programmers would simply say wildcards. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • 'Wildcard' is formed from 'wild' and 'card'. en.wiktionary.org
   • The referenced genetic programming conference proceedings were first published in 2009. link.springer.com
   • The volume contains the wording 'wild characters'. en.wiktionary.org
10. 10
    adjective

    Still in a natural condition, unchanged by development and home to few or no people; said of land, scenery, or rivers.

    The northern coast remains wild, its cliffs and coves reachable only on foot.

    Some of the wildest land in the state lies just a few hours from the capital.

    UsageOften with country, coast or moor: wild country.

    Similarunspoiled, untamed, pristine

    Oppositedeveloped, cultivated

    Note

    Here the word describes country rather than creatures: land that nobody has tamed, farmed or built on. A wild coast can be untouched or exposed to wind and sea, or both, and the noun for such country is the wilds.

11. 11
    adjective

    Full of eager enthusiasm or excitement for something.

    She's absolutely wild about old horror films from the seventies.

    Readers went wild for the author's long-awaited sequel.

    UsageSay wild about something. Not wild about is a polite, mild way to say you dislike it.

    Similarcrazy, mad, passionate, enthusiastic

    Oppositeindifferent, apathetic

12. 12
    messyadjective

    Untidy and tangled; in a disordered, unkempt state.

    Her wild curls blew in every direction during the storm.

    She smoothed down her wild hair before walking into the interview.

    Similarunkempt, untidy, tangled, messy, disheveled

    Oppositeneat, tidy, groomed

Showing meanings only. Show all 26