mild

UK: /ˈmaɪld/ US: /maɪld/ ,(mīld)

Inflections of 'mild' (adj):

milder

adj comparative

mildest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mild /maɪld/   adj., -er, -est. 

1. gentle or soft in feeling, manner, etc.:
   a mild disposition.
2. not severe or extreme;
   temperate:
   a mild winter.
3. not sharp in taste or smell:
   a mild cheese.
4. moderate in strength, degree, or force:
   a mild drug; a mild fever.

mild•ly, adv.: 

He spoke mildly to us.

mild•ness, n. 

[uncountable] the relative mildness of the infection.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mild  (mīld), adj., -er, -est, n. 
adj. 

1. amiably gentle or temperate in feeling or behavior toward others.
2. characterized by or showing such gentleness, as manners or speech:
   a mild voice.
3. not cold, severe, or extreme, as air or weather:
   mild breezes.
4. not sharp, pungent, or strong:
   a mild flavor.
5. not acute or serious, as disease:
   a mild case of flu.
6. gentle or moderate in force or effect:
   mild penalties.
7. soft;
   pleasant:
   mild sunshine.
8. moderate in intensity, degree, or character:
   mild regret.
9. British Terms comparatively soft and easily worked, as soil, wood, or stone.
10. [Obs.] kind or gracious.

n. 

11. British Terms beer that has a blander taste than bitter.

• bef. 900; Middle English, Old English milde; cognate with German mild; akin to Greek malthakós soft

mild′ly, adv. 
mild′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. soft, pleasant. See gentle. 
• 3. temperate, moderate, clement.
• 4. bland.

Antonyms

• 1. forceful.
• 3. severe.
• 6. harsh.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mild / maɪld/ adjective

1. (of a taste, sensation, etc) not powerful or strong; bland
2. gentle or temperate in character, climate, behaviour, etc
3. not extreme; moderate
4. feeble; unassertive

noun

1. draught beer, of darker colour than bitter and flavoured with fewer hops

Etymology: Old English milde; compare Old Saxon mildi, Old Norse mildr

ˈmildly adverb

ˈmildness noun