Milder

Milder is the comparative form of the English adjective mild. It describes a lower degree of mildness or gentleness and is used to compare two or more things in terms of intensity, severity, or strength. For example, milder weather, a milder taste, or a milder punishment.

In practice, milder is used across domains such as climate, food, policy, and behavior. For instance, "This winter was milder than last year," "The milder sauce isn’t as spicy," or "The committee favors a milder penalty." The phrase "more mild" is generally avoided in modern English; "milder" is preferred, though you may encounter emphasis or stylistic variation in some contexts.

Grammatically, milder is formed by adding -er to mild. It is the standard comparative for one-syllable adjectives and follows the same pattern as other comparatives with than. Etymologically, the word derives from Old English and Germanic roots meaning gentle or mild.

Related terms include mild (the positive form), mildness (the noun form), and temperate (a related concept describing moderate conditions). The word can appear in compound phrases such as "milder-than-expected" or "milder-tasting" in everyday usage, though the standalone comparative milder is the common form for indicating a lesser degree of intensity.