mild Definition
mild (mīld)
adjective
- gentle or kind in disposition, action, or effect; not severe, harsh, bitter, etc.
- not extreme in any way; moderate; temperate a mild winter
- having a soft, pleasant taste or flavor; not strong, sour, bitter, biting, or sharp: said of tobacco, cheese, etc.
- designating steel that is tough but malleable and contains only a small percentage of carbon
Etymology: ME milde < OE, akin to Ger mild < IE *meldh- < base *mel-, to crush, rub fine, tender > melt, mill
mild Related Forms
mild Synonyms
mild
modif.
Gentle; said especially of persons
Temperate; said especially of weather
bland, untroubled, tropical, peaceful, pacific, calm, summery, tepid, medium, cool, balmy, breezy, gentle, soft, lukewarm, clement, clear, moderate, genial, mellow, fine, uncloudy, sunny, warm; see also calm 2, fair 3.Easy; said especially of burdens or punishment
Not irritating
bland, soothing, soft, smooth, gentle, moderate, easy, mollifying, mellow, delicate, temperate. See syn. study at soft.soft.
mild Usage Examples
Preposition: in
- flavor: They are both somewhat mild in flavor which is welcome because they complement each other as well as having their own individual flavors.
- winter: The climate is usually dry and hot in summer and mild in winter.
Infinitive complement
moderate: Side effects were mostly mild to moderate in severity.
Modifies a noun
- winter: There could also be a major impact on the Gulf Stream, which gives Britain its current mild winters.
- detergent: If the coating becomes dirty a small amount of mild detergent may be added to the water.
- climate: The south west coast has a very mild climate due to the warm air of the Gulf Stream.
- steel: Mild steel Mild steel is iron containing up to about 0.25 % of carbon.
- symptom: They are most useful for people with mild reflux symptoms.
- sedative: SCULLY: They have her under a mild sedative.
Modifying Another Word
- unseasonably: November 30, 1864: Dawn T hat day in 1864 was unseasonably mild for late November.
- relatively: Hepatitis A is a relatively mild form of the virus; most patients require no medical care.
- exceptionally: The weather is still fine and exceptionally mild with the last couple of days being fairly misty.
- comparatively: Of course at that time these were comparatively mild deformations.
- surprisingly: Around the coast the weather can be surprisingly mild, regularly reaching freezing point in summer.
- remarkably: An unusual southerly airflow dominated synoptic patterns over the last week bringing remarkably mild conditions and significant rainfall to southern Britain especially.
Used with adjective complement
- treat: Pimecrolimus is licensed to treat mild to moderate atopic eczema in adults and children aged two years and over.
- remain: Temperatures remained relatively mild throughout the month, with only four mornings later in the month where ground frost delayed course openings.
- seem: This may be age-related or caused by alcohol abuse, chronic illness or a head injury, even one which seems mild.
- suffer: It may be useful for women suffering mild to moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms at the menopause.
- turn: The leafy shoots survive the winter and new tillers appear between the old shoots as the weather turns mild.

