1
as in feral
living outdoors without taming or domestication by humans
wild animals can be shy or aggressive when confronted by humans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uninhabited
existing without human habitation or cultivation
that land has been completely wild since the owners abandoned it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in turbulent
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
a wild night, full of wind and rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bizarre
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
some wild claim that he was abducted by aliens
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in strange
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
public speakers in the park typically spout some wild ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
the holidays were especially wild around here this year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in barbarian
not civilized
ancient traces of a wild people who lived in mountain caves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest
they're just wild to go on the ecotour through the Amazon rain forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wildly
in a confused and reckless manner
as soon as the doors opened, early-morning bargain hunters ran wild through the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation
some animals aren't meant to live outside of the wild
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wild
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
The reunion is just the platform for some wild flights of theatrical imagination.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2023
Just 18 P900s will be built, and the wild-looking hypercar will cost $3 million.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 30 Nov. 2022
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
Western New Jersey’s rolling hills are gloriously beautiful, as if to stick a thumb in the eye of the famously uncharming wilds most people see flying into Newark.
—B. R. Cohen, Longreads, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wild
Adjective
The Wild knotted up a wild one at 4-4.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
The reunion is just the platform for some wild flights of theatrical imagination.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
Adverb
Our first stop is in a wild-looking stretch 200 yards south of the railroad tracks and State Street.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2023
Just 18 P900s will be built, and the wild-looking hypercar will cost $3 million.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 30 Nov. 2022
Noun
The Madison tells the story of the Clyburn clan, who move from New York City to the open wilds of Montana to heal from a sudden loss.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
Western New Jersey’s rolling hills are gloriously beautiful, as if to stick a thumb in the eye of the famously uncharming wilds most people see flying into Newark.
—B. R. Cohen, Longreads, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wild
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wild
Adjective
-
Not a dog barking or a feral cat knocking the lid off the garbage.—
Ellen Bass,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Ricky Gervais will be in attendance to give a masterclass as creator and director of Netflix’s Alley Cats, the adult animation following a group of feral cats who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life, accompanied by a sneak peek of the first two episodes.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Located near the state fair grounds in a largely uninhabited area just outside of Downtown, Far Out feels shielded from the chaos of the big city.—
Nathanael Gassett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Trump unveiled his big tariffs agenda a year ago, imposing fees ranging from 10% to 50% on trading partners around the world − and even uninhabited islands.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
From the transformative power of novels to raising a Black son in a turbulent era, Ward offers a deeply moving testament to resilience, storytelling, and the enduring beauty of life.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
-
Much like the rest of what’s already been a turbulent season, Orlando has made this playoff series as difficult as possible.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
La beauté bizarre of the Lobster Boy is decadent.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Fabianne Therese plays a young woman on a hike in the woods with her boyfriend (Seann William Scott) who runs afoul of a bizarre, imposing figure (pro wrestler Max the Impaler) with a porcelain doll mask intent on raising her as a child.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The truck had been at the head of a column of seven rescue vehicles, all of which had received clearance from the tower to cross Runway 4 at Taxiway D and head toward a United Airlines flight that was evacuating due to a strange odor onboard.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
On World Rhythms, Lockwood trusts the listener to hear the arc of its noises, to trace their emergence and disappearance, their strange, seductive confluence.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As oxygen runs out and the girl’s frantic parents demand action, cracks begin to appear in their story.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But some key details remain unknown, including exactly what went down during those frantic seconds at the hotel and what motivated him.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When the Western Roman Empire fell in the fifth century C.E., Europe was plunged into chaos as barbarian Germanic forces advanced south—or so the story goes.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Ashley Johnson and star/executive producer Travis Willingham tee up what's coming for their soft barbarian lady.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There have been attempts to cast a Real Housewives in Chicago and Napa, and Cohen was particularly excited about a version in Boca Raton, FL.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
People are really excited about it.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wild.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wild. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
