mild

adjective

ˈmī(-ə)ld How to pronounce mild (audio)
Synonyms of mild
1
: gentle in nature or behavior
has a mild disposition
a mild-mannered man who rarely lost his temper
2
a(1)
: moderate in action or effect
a mild sedative
(2)
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
mild cheese
mild ale
b
: not being or involving what is extreme
an analysis under mild conditions
a mild case of the flu
3
: not severe : temperate
a mild climate
mild symptoms of disease
mildly
mī(-ə)l(d)-lē How to pronounce mild (audio)
adverb
mildness
ˈmī(-ə)l(d)-nəs How to pronounce mild (audio)
noun

Synonyms of mild

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of mild in a Sentence

He has a mild manner. He was a mild-mannered man who rarely became angry. They had a mild disagreement. She has a mild case of the flu. He suffered a mild concussion attack. a mild reprimand, not a stern one We've been having a very mild winter.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That was a mild day for the time, but 250 years later, the city is absolutely roasting. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 Chili powder, cumin, and cayenne give it the signature chili spice (leave out the cayenne for a milder version) while Worcestershire and tomato sauce provide savoriness. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 3 July 2026 Taking more than your body needs can actually cause vitamin toxicity, leading to side effects that range from mild discomfort to serious health problems. — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 3 July 2026 For some people, profound autism means being nonverbal and having intellectual disabilities, but the majority of people experience milder effects. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mild

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English milde; akin to Greek malthakos soft, Latin mollis — more at melt

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mild was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing mild

Rhymes for mild

See All Rhymes for mild

Browse Nearby Words

milchigs
mild
mild alkali
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mild. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

mild

adjective
ˈmī(ə)ld How to pronounce mild (audio)
1
: gentle in nature or behavior
a mild person
2
a
: not strong in action or effect
a mild drug
b
: not sharp, spicy, or bitter
a mild cheese
3
: not severe : temperate sense 5
mild weather
mildly
ˈmī(ə)l-(d)lē How to pronounce mild (audio)
adverb
mildness
ˈmī(ə)l(d)-nəs How to pronounce mild (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

mild

adjective
ˈmī(ə)ld How to pronounce mild (audio)
1
: moderate in action or effect
a mild drug
2
: not severe
a mild case of the flu

More from Merriam-Webster on mild

Nglish: Translation of mild for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All