Mild vs. Wild — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 21, 2024
Mild refers to something gentle and not extreme, while wild denotes a natural, untamed, or uncontrolled state.
Difference Between Mild and Wild
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Mild often describes conditions, behaviors, or characteristics that are gentle and moderate; in contrast, wild refers to things that are untamed, unrestrained, and often chaotic.
In terms of personality, a mild person might be seen as calm and easygoing, whereas a wild person could be considered impulsive, energetic, and unpredictable.
Climatically, a mild weather condition implies temperate and pleasant conditions, while wild weather suggests severe, uncontrolled, and potentially hazardous conditions like storms or hurricanes.
When referring to flavors, mild indicates a subtle, less intense taste, suitable for those who prefer less spice or sharpness, on the other hand, wild flavors are robust, often involving complex or strong profiles that challenge the palate.
In the context of living environments, mild might describe a safe, controlled, and comfortable setting, whereas wild describes natural, often rugged settings that operate without human intervention or control.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Gentle and moderate in nature or degree.
Uncontrolled, untamed, and natural.
Personality
Calm, composed, and non-confrontational.
Energetic, unpredictable, and impulsive.
Climate
Temperate, pleasant weather conditions.
Severe, unregulated, often hazardous conditions.
Flavor
Subtle, less intense, suitable for sensitivity.
Robust, strong, complex tastes.
Environment
Controlled, safe, comfortable settings.
Natural, rugged, and autonomous settings.
Compare with Definitions
Mild
Not harsh or severe.
The mild weather makes spring the best season to visit.
Wild
Uncontrolled or unrestrained.
The party got a little wild after midnight.
Mild
Soft or subdued in manner.
The painting’s mild colors give the room a calm feel.
Wild
Living or growing in natural conditions.
The forest is home to many wild species.
Mild
Temperate, not extreme.
Her mild demeanor makes her easy to work with.
Wild
Fierce or intense in nature.
The movie features a wild chase scene across the city.
Mild
Light or moderate in action.
She uses a mild cleaner to protect her delicate surfaces.
Wild
Chaotic or undomesticated.
His wild hair is part of his signature look.
Mild
Gentle or moderate in effect.
He prefers a mild salsa to avoid the heat.
Wild
Natural and untamed.
She loves exploring the wild landscapes of the national parks.
Mild
Gentle or kind in disposition, manners, or behavior.
Wild
(of an animal or plant) living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated
Wild strawberries
A herd of wild goats
Mild
Moderate in type, degree, effect, or force
A mild pipe tobacco.
A mild sedative.
Wild
(of a place or region) uninhabited, uncultivated, or inhospitable
The wild coastline of Cape Wrath
An expanse of wild moorland
Mild
Not extreme
A mild winter storm.
Wild
Lacking discipline or restraint
Wild parties were never her scene
Mild
Warm and full of sunshine; pleasant
A mild spring day.
Mild weather in June.
Wild
Not based on sound reasoning or probability
A wild guess
Wild rumours were circulating
Performing in Hollywood was beyond my wildest dreams
Who, even in their wildest dreams, could have anticipated such a victory?
Mild
Not severe or acute
A mild fever.
Wild
(of a playing card) deemed to have any value, suit, colour, or other property in a game at the discretion of the player holding it.
Mild
Easily molded, shaped, or worked; malleable
Mild steel.
Wild
A natural state or uncultivated or uninhabited region
Kiwis are virtually extinct in the wild
Mild
Texas & Virginia To diminish or decrease. Used of the wind or a storm. See Note at fair1.
Wild
Treat (a person or animal) harshly, so that they become untrusting or nervous
Let your pigeon fly for a while: we don't want to wild him
Mild
Gentle and not easily angered.
A mild man
Wild
Occurring, growing, or living in a natural state; not domesticated, cultivated, or tamed
Wild geese.
Edible wild plants.
Mild
(of a rule or punishment) Of only moderate severity; not strict.
He received a mild sentence.
Wild
Not inhabited or farmed
Remote, wild country.
Mild
Not overly felt or seriously intended.
Wild
Uncivilized or barbarous.
Mild
(of an illness or pain) Not serious or dangerous.
Wild
Lacking supervision or restraint
Wild children living in the street.
Mild
(of weather) Moderately warm, especially less cold than expected.
A mild day
Mild weather
Wild
Disorderly; unruly
A wild scene in the school cafeteria.
Mild
(of a medicine or cosmetic) Acting gently and without causing harm.
A mild anaesthetic
Wild
Characterized by a lack of moral restraint; dissolute or licentious
Recalled his wild youth with remorse.
Mild
(of food, drink, or a drug) Not sharp or bitter; not strong in flavor.
A mild curry
Wild
Lacking regular order or arrangement; disarranged
Wild locks of long hair.
Mild
(British) A relatively low-gravity beer, often with a dark colour; mild ale
Wild
Full of, marked by, or suggestive of strong, uncontrolled emotion
Wild with jealousy.
A wild look in his eye.
A wild rage.
Mild
Gentle; pleasant; kind; soft; bland; clement; hence, moderate in degree or quality; - the opposite of harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable, etc.; - applied to persons and things; as, a mild disposition; a mild eye; a mild air; a mild medicine; a mild insanity.
The rosy morn resigns her lightAnd milder glory to the noon.
Adore him as a mild and merciful Being.
Wild
Extravagant; fantastic
A wild idea.
Mild
Moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme;
A mild winter storm
A mild fever
Fortunately the pain was mild
A mild rebuke
Mild criticism
Wild
Furiously disturbed or turbulent; stormy
Wild weather.
Mild
Humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness;
Meek and self-effacing
Wild
Risky; imprudent
Wild financial schemes.
Mild
Mild and pleasant;
Balmy days and nights
The climate was mild and conducive to life or growth
Wild
Impatiently eager
Wild to get away for the weekend.
Wild
(Informal) Highly enthusiastic
Just wild about the new music.
Wild
Based on little or no evidence or probability; unfounded
Wild accusations.
A wild guess.
Wild
Deviating greatly from an intended course; erratic
A wild bullet.
Wild
(Games) Having an equivalence or value determined by the cardholder's choice
Playing poker with deuces wild.
Wild
In a wild manner
Growing wild.
Roaming wild.
Wild
A natural or undomesticated state
Returned the zoo animals to the wild.
Plants that grow abundantly in the wild.
Wild
Often wilds A region that is mostly uninhabited or uncultivated
The wilds of the northern steppes.
Wild
To go about in a group threatening, robbing, or attacking others.
Wild
; not domesticated; specifically, in an unbroken line of undomesticated animals (as opposed to feral, referring to undomesticated animals whose ancestors were domesticated).
Przewalski's horses are the only remaining wild horses.
Wild
From or relating to wild creatures.
Wild honey
Wild
Unrestrained or uninhibited.
I was filled with wild rage when I discovered the infidelity, and punched a hole in the wall.
Wild
, unruly, or licentious.
The fraternity was infamous for its wild parties, which frequently resulted in police involvement.
Wild
(electrical engineering) Of unregulated and varying frequency.
The aircraft's navigational equipment should not be powered from the wild AC bus except in an emergency, as its computers can be damaged by variations in electrical frequency.
Wild
Visibly and overtly anxious; frantic.
Her mother was wild with fear when she didn't return home after the party.
Wild
; very angry.
Wild
, tangled, or untidy.
After a week on the trail without a mirror, my hair was wild and dirty.
Wild
Very inaccurate; far off the mark.
The novice archer fired a wild shot and hit her opponent's target.
Wild
To the wind and sea; unsheltered.
A wild roadstead
Wild
To steer.
Wild
Not capable of being represented as a finite closed polygonal chain.
Wild
(slang) Amazing, awesome, unbelievable.
Did you hear? Pat won the lottery! — Wow, that's wild!
Wild
Able to stand in for others, e.g. a card in games, or a text character in computer pattern matching.
In this card game, aces are wild: they can take the place of any other card.
Wild
Of an audio recording: intended to be synchronized with film or video but recorded separately.
A wild track; wild sound
Wild
Inaccurately; not on target.
The javelin flew wild and struck a spectator, to the horror of all observing.
Wild
(of an audio recording) Intended to be synchronized with film or video but recorded separately.
Let's record it wild.
Wild
The undomesticated state of a wild animal.
After mending the lion's leg, we returned him to the wild.
Wild
A wilderness.
Wild
To commit random acts of assault, robbery, and rape in an urban setting, especially as a gang.
Wild
(In the form wilding or wildin') To act in a strange or unexpected way.
Wild
Living in a state of nature; inhabiting natural haunts, as the forest or open field; not familiar with, or not easily approached by, man; not tamed or domesticated; as, a wild boar; a wild ox; a wild cat.
Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way.
Wild
Growing or produced without culture; growing or prepared without the aid and care of man; native; not cultivated; brought forth by unassisted nature or by animals not domesticated; as, wild parsnip, wild camomile, wild strawberry, wild honey.
The woods and desert caves,With wild thyme and gadding vine o'ergrown.
Wild
Desert; not inhabited or cultivated; as, wild land.
Wild
Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; ferocious; rude; as, wild natives of Africa or America.
Wild
Not submitted to restraint, training, or regulation; turbulent; tempestuous; violent; ungoverned; licentious; inordinate; disorderly; irregular; fanciful; imaginary; visionary; crazy.
What are theseSo withered and so wild in their attire ?
With mountains, as with weapons, armed; which makesWild work in heaven.
The wild winds howl.
Search then the ruling passion, there, aloneThe wild are constant, and the cunning known.
Wild
Exposed to the wind and sea; unsheltered; as, a wild roadstead.
Wild
Indicating strong emotion, intense excitement, or ewilderment; as, a wild look.
Wild
Hard to steer; - said of a vessel.
Wild
An uninhabited and uncultivated tract or region; a forest or desert; a wilderness; a waste; as, the wilds of America; the wilds of Africa.
Then Libya first, of all her moisture drained,Became a barren waste, a wild of sand.
Wild
Wildly; as, to talk wild.
Wild
A wild primitive state untouched by civilization;
He lived in the wild
Wild
A wild and uninhabited area
Wild
Marked by extreme lack of restraint or control;
Wild ideas
Wild talk
Wild originality
Wild parties
Wild
In a natural state; not tamed or domesticated or cultivated;
Wild geese
Edible wild plants
Wild
In a state of extreme emotion;
Wild with anger
Wild with grief
Wild
Deviating widely from an intended course;
A wild bullet
A wild pitch
Wild
(of colors or sounds) intensely vivid or loud;
A violent clash of colors
Her dress was a violent red
A violent noise
Wild colors
Wild shouts
Wild
Not subjected to control or restraint;
A piano played with a wild exuberance
Wild
Talking or behaving irrationally;
A raving lunatic
Wild
Produced without being planted or without human labor;
Wild strawberries
Wild
Located in a dismal or remote area; desolate;
A desert island
A godforsaken wilderness crossroads
A wild stretch of land
Waste places
Wild
Without civilizing influences;
Barbarian invaders
Barbaric practices
A savage people
Fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient
Wild tribes
Wild
(of the elements) as if showing violent anger;
Angry clouds on the horizon
Furious winds
The raging sea
Wild
In an uncontrolled and rampant manner;
Weeds grew rampantly around here
Wild
In a wild or undomesticated manner;
Growing wild
Roaming wild
Common Curiosities
What characterizes something as wild?
Wild refers to something natural, untamed, and uncontrolled.
What is considered wild behavior?
Wild behavior is typically unrestrained, impulsive, and energetic.
How does a mild personality differ from a wild personality?
A mild personality is calm and easygoing, while a wild personality is unpredictable and energetic.
What are examples of mild flavors?
Mild flavors include light spices, subtle sweetness, or mellow savoriness.
Can weather be both mild and wild?
Weather can vary, being mild during some seasons and wild during events like storms.
Is it better to have a mild or wild temperament?
Preference for a mild or wild temperament varies based on personal tastes and the context of situations.
What does mild mean?
Mild refers to something that is gentle, not extreme, or moderate in condition or effect.
Are wild animals dangerous?
Some wild animals can be dangerous due to their untamed nature and survival instincts.
What makes a habitat wild?
A habitat is considered wild if it remains in its natural state, free from human control.
Can a dish be both mild and wild in flavor?
A dish might balance mild ingredients with elements of wild flavor for complexity.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
