Region: General | Usage example: He spent his twenties traveling to sow his wild oats.

Sow your wild oats

Meaning

Indulge in youthful recklessness before settling down.

Used for experiences that satisfy youthful impulses.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Agricultural metaphor where wild oats grow among crops if not controlled.

Appears in 16th-century English as a warning about youth.