How to pronounce wild
Say it like WYLD. Wild is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wild. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WYLD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wild pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYLDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of wild
American and British speakers say wild in essentially the same way: /waɪld/ in the US and /waɪld/ in the UK.
British respelling: WYLD.
What does wild mean?
- marked by extreme lack of restraint or control“wild talk”“wild parties”
- in a natural state; not tamed or domesticated or cultivated“wild geese”“edible wild plants”
- in a state of extreme emotion“wild with anger”“wild with grief”
- in an uncontrolled and rampant manner“weeds grew rampantly around here”
- in a wild or undomesticated manner“growing wild”“roaming wild”
- a wild primitive state untouched by civilization“he lived in the wild”“they collected mushrooms in the wild”
- a wild and uninhabited area left in its natural condition“it was a wilderness preserved for the hawks and mountaineers”
Where does wild come from?
Cognate with North Frisian wil (“wild”), Saterland Frisian wíeld, wüüld (“wild”), West Frisian wyld (“wild”), Bavarian wüd (“wild”), Central Franconian weld (“wild”), Cimbrian bill (“crazy, mad; wild; stupid”), Dutch, German, and Low German
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with wild
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wild.
Questions about saying wild
How do you pronounce wild?
Say WYLD. The American pronunciation is /waɪld/. In British English it is /waɪld/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wild?
Wild is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WYLD.
Do Americans and Brits say wild the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /waɪld/ and the British form is /waɪld/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.