497

Law Offices

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP

1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036

202.822.9611

Direct Dial - (202) 419-8416

1933 Act Rule 497(e)

1933 Act File No. 333-40455

1940 Act File No. 811-08495

July 11, 2012

VIA EDGAR

Filing Desk

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

Re:	Nationwide Mutual Funds (the “Registrant”)
	SEC File Nos. 333-40455 and 811-08495 Rule 497(e) filing

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Enclosed for filing pursuant to Rule 497(e) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “1933 Act”) are exhibits containing interactive data format risk/return summary information that reflects the risk/return summary information in the Prospectus dated February 29, 2012, and revised as of June 20, 2012, relating to the Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund, Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund, and Nationwide Retirement Income Fund, series of the Registrant, as filed pursuant to Rule 497(e) under the 1933 Act on June 20, 2012 (Accession Number: 0001193125-12-276796).

Please direct questions or comments relating to this filing to me at the above-referenced telephone number.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Cillian M. Lynch

Cillian M. Lynch

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2025 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 37.20% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	37.20%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2025. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, but also invests a small portion of its assets in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 46% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (20% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 26% in international stocks, and approximately 25% in fixed-income securities. As the year 2025 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing considerably in stocks, are willing to accept moderate short-term losses in exchange for potential longer-term returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2025 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek capital growth over the long term, but also some investment income.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund's investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund's value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund's annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:       15.27% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:       -17.57% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After‒tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after‒tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After‒tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.24%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(29.74%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	23.93%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	13.40%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(2.70%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	15.27%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(17.57%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.32%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.84%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.68%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	245
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	145
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.12%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.43%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.83%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.32%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	134
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	418
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	723
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,590
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.14%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.51%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.75%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.17%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	119
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	372
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	644
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,420
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.00%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.71%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.57%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	43
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	135
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	235
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	530
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.29%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.52%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.13%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.67%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	68
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	214
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	373
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	835
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.53%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.23%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.16%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.36%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.08%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.37%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.18%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.47%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.60%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2025 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	0.24%
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	13.65%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.35%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2050 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 28.78% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	28.78%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2050. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2050 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2050 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk  –  because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:      19.87% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:      -22.55% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class A shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(37.77%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	29.92%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	15.66%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(4.85%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	19.87%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(22.55%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.32%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.45%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.45%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class C shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.24%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.00%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.75%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class R1 shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.81%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.22%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.61%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class R2 shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.96%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.38%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.43%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Institutional Class shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.36%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	13.16%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.72%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Institutional Service Class shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.61%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.90%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.99%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class A shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(11.19%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.67%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.21%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund | Class A shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.55%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.92%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.09%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2050 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.47%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	14.38%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.17%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE RETIREMENT INCOME FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide current income consistent with capital preservation
Objective, Secondary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	and, as a secondary investment objective, capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 107.29% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	107.29%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors who have already retired. Currently the Fund invests considerably in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities), many of which are issued by foreign issuers, in order to preserve capital and generate income. It also invests to a lesser extent in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, to provide for growth of capital. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 71% of its net assets in fixed-income securities (18% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) and approximately 23% in stocks (10% of which represents international stocks). The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”), as well as a fixed interest contract issued by Nationwide Life Insurance Company (“Nationwide Contract”), that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Instead of investing directly in physical commodities, an Underlying Fund invests primarily in commodity-linked notes, which are derivatives, in order to provide investment exposure to the investment characteristics and performance of the commodities markets. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who have a low tolerance for risk, have retired at the age of 65, and are seeking to preserve the value of their assets while producing continuing income. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Single issuer risk – this refers to the risk presented by the Nationwide Contract, which is a fixed interest contract issued and guaranteed by Nationwide Life Insurance Company (“Nationwide”). This contract has a stable principal value and pays a fixed rate of interest to each Fund that holds the contract. Both the principal and a minimum rate of interest are guaranteed by Nationwide regardless of market conditions. However, if Nationwide becomes unable to meet this guarantee, a Fund that invests in the contract may lose money from unpaid principal or unpaid or reduced interest. Because the entire contract is issued and guaranteed by a single issuer, the financial health of such issuer may have a greater impact on the value of a Fund that invests in it. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor has retired at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. Portfolio turnover risk – a higher portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs and, as a result, may adversely impact the Fund’s performance and may: Increase share price volatility and Result in additional tax consequences for Fund shareholders. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:     6.92% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:     -6.29% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.93%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	664
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	854
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,060
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,652
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(11.52%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	12.43%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	7.33%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(0.85%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	6.92%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(6.29%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.57%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	4.09%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.69%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.43%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	246
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	452
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	782
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,713
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	146
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	452
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	782
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,713
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.36%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	5.59%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.53%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.33%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	135
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	421
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	729
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,601
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.33%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	5.71%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.66%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.18%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	120
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	375
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	649
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,432
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.10%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	5.86%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.83%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.43%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	44
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	138
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	241
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	542
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.47%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	6.60%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	2.55%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.68%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	69
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	218
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	379
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	847
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.61%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	6.42%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	2.32%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.60%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	3.14%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.26%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Retirement Income Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.48%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	3.19%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.22%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate Income Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Retirement Income Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	4.13%
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.79%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	4.50%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2040 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24.59% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	24.59%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2040. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests significantly in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2040 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for relatively aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2040 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a tolerance for possible short-term losses.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:     19.24% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:     -22.45% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(37.29%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	28.53%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	15.53%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(4.49%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	19.24%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(22.45%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.98%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.18%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.53%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.83%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.81%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.68%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.87%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.89%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.61%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.73%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.04%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.46%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.01%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.89%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.74%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.24%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.63%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.97%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.54%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.64%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.07%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.75%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.70%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.10%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2040 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.85%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	14.33%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.07%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2055 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period from the Fund’s inception on December 28, 2010 through the end of the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30.50% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	30.50%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	"Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2055. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (29% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2055 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2055 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion in order to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, and as appropriate to the risk profile and individual strategies of the Fund. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund's annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:      8.31% – 4th qtr. of 2011 Worst Quarter:      -16.18% – 3rd qtr. of 2011
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(4.67%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	8.31%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(16.18%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.13%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(9.68%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.27%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.90%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.98%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.54%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.94%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.50%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.33%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.89%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.35%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.91%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.54%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(10.09%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.39%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(8.37%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2050 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.75%)
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.03%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 28, 2010

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2020 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 66 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 41.26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	41.26%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2020. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks both capital growth and income, and invests in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, but also invests in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 38% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (15% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 23% in international stocks, and approximately 36% in fixed income securities. As the year 2020 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept moderate short-term price fluctuations in exchange for potential longer-term returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2020 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both capital growth and investment income.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:      13.73% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:       -15.71% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here.After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.92%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	851
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,055
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,641
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(27.20%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	21.15%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	12.29%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.98%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	13.73%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(15.71%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.62%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.92%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.41%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	245
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	145
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.44%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.55%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.62%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.32%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	134
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	418
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	723
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,590
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.26%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.67%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.40%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.17%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	119
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	372
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	644
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,420
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.21%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.84%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.28%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	43
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	135
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	235
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	530
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.48%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.64%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.45%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.67%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	68
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	214
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	373
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	835
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.61%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.43%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.18%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.70%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.11%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.13%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.78%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	6.61%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.40%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2020 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.75%
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.92%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	2.34%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2040 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund Class C	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24.59% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2040. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests significantly in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2040 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for relatively aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2040 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a tolerance for possible short-term losses.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:     19.24% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:     -22.45% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2040 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(9.98%)	10.18%	(3.53%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(10.54%)	9.64%	(4.07%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(5.75%)	8.70%	(3.10%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(5.83%)	11.81%	(2.68%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(4.87%)	11.89%	(2.61%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(4.73%)	12.04%	(2.46%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(4.01%)	12.89%	(1.74%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(4.24%)	12.63%	(1.97%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2040 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(2.85%)	14.33%	(0.07%)	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2035 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A shares	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C shares	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1 shares	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2 shares	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class shares	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class shares	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund Class C shares	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26.04% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2035. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 58% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (26% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 28% in international stocks, and approximately 12% in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities). As the year 2035 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2035 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to emphasize capital growth over the long term and can tolerate possible short-term losses, but also seek to reduce risk by investing a smaller portion in fixed income securities.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:       18.28% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:      -20.76% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A shares	(9.29%)	9.82%	(2.84%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions	(9.84%)	9.26%	(3.41%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(5.31%)	8.36%	(2.55%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C shares	(5.18%)	11.50%	(2.02%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 shares	(4.17%)	11.60%	(1.93%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 shares	(3.90%)	11.75%	(1.73%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class shares	(3.18%)	12.60%	(1.02%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class shares	(3.52%)	12.31%	(1.31%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2035 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(2.28%)	14.29%	0.10%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2010 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 81.36% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	81.36%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2010. Currently the Fund primarily seeks income, and therefore invests in bonds of U.S. and international issuers (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income, and secondarily seeks capital growth, investing a smaller portion in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 52% of its net assets in fixed income securities (13% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities), approximately 28% in U.S. stocks (10% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), and approximately 16% in international stocks. For the next 20 years after 2010, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept some amount of market volatility in exchange for greater potential returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors are retiring in or close to 2010 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both investment income and capital growth.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation-protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:     10.56% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:     -13.43% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.92%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	851
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,055
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,641
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(23.53%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	16.24%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	10.26%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.30%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	10.56%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(13.43%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.00%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	6.03%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.48%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	245
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	145
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.60%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.61%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.72%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.32%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	134
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	418
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	723
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,590
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.68%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.70%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.57%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.17%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	119
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	372
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	644
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,420
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.56%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.84%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.43%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	43
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	135
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	235
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	530
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.81%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.64%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.30%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.67%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	68
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	214
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	373
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	835
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.81%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.61%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.19%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.41%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	4.95%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.45%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.10%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	4.91%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.54%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2010 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	3.61%
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.34%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	3.87%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2010 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.92%	1.42%	1.32%	1.17%	0.67%	0.42%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A shares	663	851	1,055	1,641
Class C shares	245	449	776	1,702
Class R1 shares	134	418	723	1,590
Class R2 shares	119	372	644	1,420
Institutional Service Class shares	68	214	373	835
Institutional Class shares	43	135	235	530

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund Class C shares	145	449	776	1,702

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 81.36% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2010. Currently the Fund primarily seeks income, and therefore invests in bonds of U.S. and international issuers (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income, and secondarily seeks capital growth, investing a smaller portion in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 52% of its net assets in fixed income securities (13% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities), approximately 28% in U.S. stocks (10% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), and approximately 16% in international stocks. For the next 20 years after 2010, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept some amount of market volatility in exchange for greater potential returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors are retiring in or close to 2010 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both investment income and capital growth.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation-protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:     10.56% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:     -13.43% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2010 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A shares	(7.00%)	6.03%	(1.48%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions	(8.41%)	4.95%	(2.45%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(3.10%)	4.91%	(1.54%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C shares	(2.60%)	7.61%	(0.72%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 shares	(1.68%)	7.70%	(0.57%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 shares	(1.56%)	7.84%	(0.43%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class shares	(0.81%)	8.64%	0.30%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class shares	(0.81%)	8.61%	0.19%	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2010 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	3.61%	11.34%	3.87%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2045 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 29.14% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	29.14%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2045. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 60% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2045 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2045 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:     19.65% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:     -22.64% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(37.64%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	28.78%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	15.66%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(4.50%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	19.65%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(22.64%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.03%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	10.28%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.55%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.93%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.93%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.75%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.85%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.04%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.67%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.74%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.17%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.50%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.03%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	13.02%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.79%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.27%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.73%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.07%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(10.69%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.65%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(4.14%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.64%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.78%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.12%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2045 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.19%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	14.36%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.14%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2015 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 54.48% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	54.48%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2015. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks both capital growth and income, and invests in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, and in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 32% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (12% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 19% in international stocks, and approximately 45% in fixed income securities (12% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities). As the year 2015 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept some amount of market volatility in exchange for greater potential returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2015 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both capital growth and investment income.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation-protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:     12.05% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:     -13.97% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.92%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	851
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,055
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,641
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(24.62%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	18.70%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	11.14%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.44%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	12.05%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(13.97%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.11%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	7.03%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.20%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	245
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	145
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	449
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	776
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,702
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.81%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.65%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.36%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.32%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	134
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	418
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	723
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,590
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.85%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.73%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.28%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.17%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	119
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	372
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	644
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,420
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.81%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.83%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.13%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.67%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	68
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	214
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	373
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	835
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.31%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.39%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.33%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.42%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	43
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	135
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	235
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	530
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.95%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.71%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.62%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.52%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	6.05%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.05%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.10%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	5.79%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.27%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2015 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	2.90%
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.09%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	3.23%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012 .

XML

Document and Entity Information	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 20, 2012
Risk/Return:
Document Type	Other
Document Period End Date	Oct. 31, 2011
Registrant Name	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Central Index Key	0001048702
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Jun. 20, 2012
Document Effective Date	Jun. 20, 2012
Prospectus Date	Feb. 29, 2012

XML

Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2020 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 66 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.92%	1.42%	1.32%	1.17%	0.67%	0.42%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	851	1,055	1,641
Class C	245	449	776	1,702
Class R1	134	418	723	1,590
Class R2	119	372	644	1,420
Institutional Service Class	68	214	373	835
Institutional Class	43	135	235	530

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund Class C	145	449	776	1,702

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 41.26% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2020. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks both capital growth and income, and invests in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, but also invests in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 38% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (15% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 23% in international stocks, and approximately 36% in fixed income securities. As the year 2020 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept moderate short-term price fluctuations in exchange for potential longer-term returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2020 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both capital growth and investment income.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:      13.73% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:       -15.71% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2020 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(7.62%)	7.92%	(1.41%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(8.70%)	7.11%	(2.13%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales	(3.78%)	6.61%	(1.40%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(3.44%)	9.55%	(0.62%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(2.26%)	9.67%	(0.40%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(2.21%)	9.84%	(0.28%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(1.48%)	10.64%	0.45%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(1.61%)	10.43%	0.18%	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2020 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	1.75%	12.92%	2.34%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Jun. 20, 2012

XML

Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2050 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund	Class A shares	Class C shares	Class R1 shares	Class R2 shares	Institutional Service Class shares	Institutional Class shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund		Class A shares	Class C shares	Class R1 shares	Class R2 shares	Institutional Service Class shares	Institutional Class shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund Class C	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 28.78% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2050. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2050 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2050 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:      19.87% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:      -22.55% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
as of December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2050 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A shares	(10.32%)	10.45%	(3.45%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions	(11.19%)	9.67%	(4.21%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(5.55%)	8.92%	(3.09%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C shares	(6.24%)	12.00%	(2.75%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 shares	(5.81%)	12.22%	(2.61%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 shares	(4.96%)	12.38%	(2.43%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class shares	(4.36%)	13.16%	(1.72%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class shares	(4.61%)	12.90%	(1.99%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2050 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(3.47%)	14.38%	0.17%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2030 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A shares	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C shares	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1 shares	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2 shares	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class shares	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class shares	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund Class C shares	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27.34% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2030. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 54% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (24% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 26% in international stocks, and approximately 18% in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities). As the year 2030 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap and mid-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2030 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek capital growth over the long term and can tolerate possible short-term losses, but also seek to reduce risk by investing a smaller portion in fixed income securities.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:      17.10% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:      -19.53% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(9.01%)	9.51%	(2.31%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(9.78%)	8.87%	(2.91%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(4.86%)	8.09%	(2.10%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(4.80%)	11.17%	(1.45%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(3.85%)	11.22%	(1.38%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(3.71%)	11.41%	(1.23%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(2.94%)	12.24%	(0.52%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(3.18%)	11.94%	(0.77%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2030 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(1.23%)	14.10%	0.55%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2025 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.24%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.42%	1.32%	1.17%	0.67%	0.42%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C	245	449	776	1,702
Class R1	134	418	723	1,590
Class R2	119	372	644	1,420
Institutional Service Class	68	214	373	835
Institutional Class	43	135	235	530

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund Class C	145	449	776	1,702

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 37.20% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2025. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, but also invests a small portion of its assets in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 46% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (20% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 26% in international stocks, and approximately 25% in fixed-income securities. As the year 2025 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing considerably in stocks, are willing to accept moderate short-term losses in exchange for potential longer-term returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2025 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek capital growth over the long term, but also some investment income.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:       15.27% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:       -17.57% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2025 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(8.32%)	8.84%	(1.68%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(9.36%)	8.08%	(2.37%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(4.18%)	7.47%	(1.60%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(4.12%)	10.43%	(0.83%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(3.14%)	10.51%	(0.75%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(3.00%)	10.71%	(0.57%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(2.29%)	11.52%	0.13%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(2.53%)	11.23%	(0.16%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2025 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	0.24%	13.65%	1.35%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2035 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26.04% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	26.04%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2035. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 58% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (26% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 28% in international stocks, and approximately 12% in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities). As the year 2035 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2035 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to emphasize capital growth over the long term and can tolerate possible short-term losses, but also seek to reduce risk by investing a smaller portion in fixed income securities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund's annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:       18.28% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:      -20.76% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(34.86%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	27.03%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	14.97%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(3.78%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	18.28%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(20.76%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.29%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.82%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.84%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.18%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.50%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.02%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.17%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.60%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.93%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.90%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.75%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.73%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.52%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.31%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.31%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.18%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.60%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.02%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.84%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.26%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(3.41%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.31%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.36%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.55%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2035 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2035 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.28%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	14.29%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.10%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NATIONWIDE MUTUAL FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 29, 2012
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2030 FUND
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27.34% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	27.34%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	“Management Fees” have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2030. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests considerably in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 54% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (24% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 26% in international stocks, and approximately 18% in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities). As the year 2030 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth. The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund. The Fund is designed for investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap and mid-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2030 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek capital growth over the long term and can tolerate possible short-term losses, but also seek to reduce risk by investing a smaller portion in fixed income securities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of: Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down. Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded. Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller and medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk. Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down. Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond. Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares. Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return. Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives. Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates. If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-848-0920
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares (Years Ended December 31,)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter:      17.10% – 2nd qtr. of 2009 Worst Quarter:      -19.53% – 4th qtr. of 2008
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.91%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	663
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	848
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,050
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,630
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(32.90%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	26.25%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	14.21%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(3.42%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	17.10%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(19.53%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.01%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	9.51%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.31%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	244
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	144
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	446
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	771
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,691
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.80%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.17%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.45%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class R1 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.85%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.22%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.38%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class R2 Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.16%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	118
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	368
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	638
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,409
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.71%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.41%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(1.23%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Institutional Service Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.66%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	67
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	211
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	368
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	822
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.18%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	11.94%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.77%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Institutional Class Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.13%	[1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	518
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.94%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	12.24%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.52%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions | Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.78%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.87%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.91%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares | Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.86%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	8.09%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(2.10%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2030 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.) | Nationwide Destination 2030 Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.23%)
3 Years	nmf1_AverageAnnualReturnYearThree	14.10%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	0.55%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2015 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.92%	1.42%	1.32%	1.17%	0.67%	0.42%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A shares	663	851	1,055	1,641
Class C shares	245	449	776	1,702
Class R1 shares	134	418	723	1,590
Class R2 shares	119	372	644	1,420
Institutional Service Class shares	68	214	373	835
Institutional Class shares	43	135	235	530

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund Class C shares	145	449	776	1,702

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 54.48% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2015. Therefore, the Fund currently seeks both capital growth and income, and invests in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, and in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) in order to generate investment income. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 32% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (12% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies), approximately 19% in international stocks, and approximately 45% in fixed income securities (12% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities). As the year 2015 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who are willing to accept some amount of market volatility in exchange for greater potential returns, but who have a lower tolerance for risk than more aggressive investors. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2015 at the age of 65, and that such investors seek both capital growth and investment income.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation-protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:     12.05% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:     -13.97% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the following table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2015 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A shares	(7.11%)	7.03%	(1.20%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions	(8.52%)	6.05%	(2.05%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(3.10%)	5.79%	(1.27%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C shares	(2.81%)	8.65%	(0.36%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 shares	(1.85%)	8.73%	(0.28%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 shares	(1.81%)	8.83%	(0.13%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class shares	(0.95%)	9.71%	0.62%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class shares	(1.31%)	9.39%	0.33%	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2015 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	2.90%	12.09%	3.23%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012 .

XML

Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2045 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund Class C	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 29.14% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2045. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 60% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (28% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2045 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and stocks of small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2045 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:     19.65% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:     -22.64% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2045 Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(10.03%)	10.28%	(3.55%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(10.69%)	9.65%	(4.14%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(5.64%)	8.78%	(3.12%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(5.93%)	11.93%	(2.75%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(4.85%)	12.04%	(2.67%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(4.74%)	12.17%	(2.50%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(4.03%)	13.02%	(1.79%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(4.27%)	12.73%	(2.07%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2045 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(3.19%)	14.36%	(0.14%)	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Retirement Income Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE RETIREMENT INCOME FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks to provide current income consistent with capital preservation

and, as a secondary investment objective, capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Retirement Income Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Retirement Income Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.30%	0.30%	0.30%	0.30%	0.30%	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.93%	1.43%	1.33%	1.18%	0.68%	0.43%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Retirement Income Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	664	854	1,060	1,652
Class C	246	452	782	1,713
Class R1	135	421	729	1,601
Class R2	120	375	649	1,432
Institutional Service Class	69	218	379	847
Institutional Class	44	138	241	542

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Retirement Income Fund Class C	146	452	782	1,713

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 107.29% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors who have already retired. Currently the Fund invests considerably in bonds (including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities), many of which are issued by foreign issuers, in order to preserve capital and generate income. It also invests to a lesser extent in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, to provide for growth of capital. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 71% of its net assets in fixed-income securities (18% of which represents Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) and approximately 23% in stocks (10% of which represents international stocks).

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”), as well as a fixed interest contract issued by Nationwide Life Insurance Company (“Nationwide Contract”), that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Instead of investing directly in physical commodities, an Underlying Fund invests primarily in commodity-linked notes, which are derivatives, in order to provide investment exposure to the investment characteristics and performance of the commodities markets. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for investors who have a low tolerance for risk, have retired at the age of 65, and are seeking to preserve the value of their assets while producing continuing income. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Interest rate risk – generally, when interest rates go up, the value of fixed-income securities goes down.

Credit risk – a bond issuer may be unable to pay the interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund may lose money. Changes in a bond issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of a bond.

Inflation-protected bonds risk – because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. Interest payments on inflation-protected securities will fluctuate as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation and can be unpredictable. Inflation protected bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates (the interest rate minus the current inflation rate) rise. There can be no assurance that the inflation index used will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. A Fund’s investments in inflation-protected securities may lose value in the event that the actual rate of inflation is different than the rate of the inflation index. In the event of deflation, in which prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-protected bonds would likely decline.

Prepayment and call risk – certain bonds will be paid off by the issuer more quickly than anticipated. If this happens, an Underlying Fund may be required to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Extension risk – when interest rates rise, certain bond obligations will be paid in full by the issuer more slowly than anticipated. This can cause the market value of the security to fall because the market may view its interest rate as low for a longer-term investment.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risks – through its investments in mortgage-backed securities, an Underlying Fund may have some exposure to subprime loans, as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. Subprime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories, have had in many cases higher default rates than loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Single issuer risk – this refers to the risk presented by the Nationwide Contract, which is a fixed interest contract issued and guaranteed by Nationwide Life Insurance Company (“Nationwide”). This contract has a stable principal value and pays a fixed rate of interest to each Fund that holds the contract. Both the principal and a minimum rate of interest are guaranteed by Nationwide regardless of market conditions. However, if Nationwide becomes unable to meet this guarantee, a Fund that invests in the contract may lose money from unpaid principal or unpaid or reduced interest. Because the entire contract is issued and guaranteed by a single issuer, the financial health of such issuer may have a greater impact on the value of a Fund that invests in it.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor has retired at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

Portfolio turnover risk – a higher portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs and, as a result, may adversely impact the Fund’s performance and may:

• Increase share price volatility and
• Result in additional tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual total returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Annual Total Returns – Class A Shares
(Years Ended December 31,)

Best Quarter:     6.92% – 2nd qtr. of 2009
Worst Quarter:     -6.29% – 4th qtr. of 2008

After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Retirement Income Fund	1 Year	3 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(6.57%)	4.09%	0.69%	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(7.60%)	3.14%	(0.26%)	Aug. 30, 2007
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(3.48%)	3.19%	0.22%	Aug. 30, 2007
Class C Shares	(2.36%)	5.59%	1.53%	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R1 Shares	(1.33%)	5.71%	1.66%	Aug. 30, 2007
Class R2 Shares	(1.10%)	5.86%	1.83%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Class Shares	(0.47%)	6.60%	2.55%	Aug. 30, 2007
Institutional Service Class Shares	(0.61%)	6.42%	2.32%	Aug. 30, 2007
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate Income Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	4.13%	9.79%	4.50%	Aug. 30, 2007

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.

XML

Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund

FUND SUMMARY: NATIONWIDE DESTINATION 2055 FUND

Objective

The Fund seeks capital appreciation and income consistent with its current asset allocation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay when buying and holding shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Nationwide Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Investing with Nationwide Funds” commencing on page 56 of this Prospectus and in “Additional Information on Purchases and Sales” commencing on page 65 of the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund	Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	5.75%	none	none	none	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering or sale price, whichever is less)	none	1.00%	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund		Class A Shares	Class C Shares	Class R1 Shares	Class R2 Shares	Institutional Service Class Shares	Institutional Class Shares
Management Fees	[1]	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	0.13%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	0.65%	0.50%	none	none
Other Expenses		0.25%	none	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%	none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses		0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.91%	1.41%	1.31%	1.16%	0.66%	0.41%

Example

This Example is intended to help you to compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return each year and no change in expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class A	663	848	1,050	1,630
Class C	244	446	771	1,691
Class R1	133	415	718	1,579
Class R2	118	368	638	1,409
Institutional Service Class	67	211	368	822
Institutional Class	42	132	230	518

You would pay the following expenses on the same investment if you did not sell your shares:

Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund Class C	144	446	771	1,691

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period from the Fund’s inception on December 28, 2010 through the end of the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30.50% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is a “fund of funds” that invests in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds representing a variety of asset classes. The Fund invests in a professionally selected mix of different asset classes that is tailored for investors planning to retire in, or close to, the year 2055. Therefore, the Fund currently emphasizes the pursuit of long-term growth of capital, and invests heavily in equity securities, such as common stocks of U.S. and international companies, including smaller companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund allocates approximately 59% of its net assets in U.S. stocks (29% of which represents small-cap and mid-cap companies) and approximately 30% in international stocks. As the year 2055 approaches, and for an additional 20 years thereafter, the Fund’s allocations to different asset classes will progressively become more conservative, with increasing emphasis on investments that provide for income and preservation of capital, and less on those offering the potential for growth.

The Fund invests in affiliated portfolios of Nationwide Mutual Funds and unaffiliated mutual funds (including exchange-traded funds) (each, an “Underlying Fund” or collectively, “Underlying Funds”) that collectively represent several asset classes. Most Underlying Funds are “index” funds (or funds that use index replication strategies) that invest directly in equity securities, bonds or other securities with a goal of obtaining investment returns that closely track a benchmark stock or bond index. Some of these Underlying Funds invest in futures, forwards and swaps, all of which are derivatives, with investment characteristics similar to those of securities included in the respective indexes in an attempt to synthetically replicate the performance of those indexes. The Fund also invests in certain Underlying Funds that are not index funds. Although the Fund seeks to provide diversification across several asset classes, the Fund is nondiversified as to issuers, which means that it holds securities issued by a small number of issuers (i.e., Underlying Funds), and invests a significant portion of its assets in any one Underlying Fund.

The Fund is designed for aggressive investors who are comfortable with assuming the risks associated with investing in a high percentage of stocks, including international stocks and small-cap companies. The Fund also assumes that its investors will retire in or close to 2055 at the age of 65, and that such investors want to maximize their long-term returns and have a high tolerance for possible short-term losses.

Principal Risks

The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.

As with any fund, the value of the Fund’s investments—and therefore, the value of Fund shares—may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:

Stock market risk – the Fund could lose value if the individual stocks in which the Underlying Funds invest or overall stock markets in which such stocks trade go down.

Foreign securities risk – foreign securities may be more volatile, harder to price and less liquid than U.S. securities. The prices of foreign securities may be further affected by other factors, such as changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the securities are traded.

Small- and mid-cap risk – smaller to medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than are larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

Index fund risk – an Underlying Fund that seeks to match the performance of an index does not use defensive strategies or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities. Further, correlation between an Underlying Fund’s performance and that of the index may be negatively affected by the Underlying Fund’s expenses, changes in the composition of the index, and the timing of purchase and redemption of Underlying Fund shares.

Derivatives risk – derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security, commodity, measure or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Certain derivatives may involve leverage, which means that their use can significantly magnify the effect of price movements of the underlying securities or reference measures, disproportionately increasing an Underlying Fund’s losses and reducing the Underlying Fund’s opportunities for gains. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, including a loss that may be greater than the amount invested. They also present default risks if the counterparty to a derivatives contract fails to fulfill its obligations to the Underlying Fund. Certain derivatives held by an Underlying Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position.

Liquidity risk – is the risk that a security or derivative instrument cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price.

Nondiversified fund risk – because the Fund may hold large positions in the Underlying Funds, an increase or decrease in the value of the shares issued by these Underlying Funds may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Strategy risk – there is the risk that the investment adviser’s evaluations and allocation among asset classes and Underlying Funds may be incorrect. Further, the investment adviser may alter the Fund’s asset allocation at its discretion in order to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, and as appropriate to the risk profile and individual strategies of the Fund. A material change in the asset allocation could affect both the level of risk and the potential for gain or loss. There also is no guarantee that the Underlying Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

Retirement goal risk – the assumption that an investor will retire at the age of 65 is only an approximate guide, and is not necessarily intended to reflect the specific age at which an investor should retire or start withdrawing retirement assets. An investor may have different retirement needs than the allocation model anticipates.

If the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, you may lose money.

Performance

The following bar chart and table can help you evaluate the Fund’s potential risks. The bar chart shows how the Fund’s annual total returns have varied from year to year. These returns do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If the applicable sales charges were included, the annual returns would be lower than those shown. The table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns to the returns of a broad-based securities index. Remember, however, that past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.nationwide.com/mutualfunds or by calling 800-848-0920.

Best Quarter:      8.31% – 4th qtr. of 2011
Worst Quarter:      -16.18% – 3rd qtr. of 2011

After-tax returns are shown in the table for Class A shares only and will vary for other classes. After tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax return depends on your personal tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors in tax-deferred arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans or certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Average Annual Total Returns
as of December 31, 2011:

Average Annual Total Returns Nationwide Destination 2055 Fund	1 Year	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A Shares	(10.13%)	(9.68%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions	(10.54%)	(10.09%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Class A Shares After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares	(6.39%)	(8.37%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Class C Shares	(6.27%)	(4.90%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Class R1 Shares	(4.98%)	(4.54%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Class R2 Shares	(4.94%)	(4.50%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Institutional Class Shares	(4.33%)	(3.89%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Institutional Service Class Shares	(4.35%)	(3.91%)	Dec. 28, 2010
Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2050 Index (The Index does not pay sales charges, fees or expenses.)	(3.75%)	(3.03%)	Dec. 28, 2010

[1] "Management Fees" have been restated to reflect the reduction of contractual investment advisory fees, effective January 1, 2012.