jungle

noun

jun·​gle ˈjəŋ-gəl 

often attributive

1

a

: an impenetrable thicket or tangled mass of tropical vegetation

b

: a tract overgrown with thickets or masses of vegetation

2

a(1)

: a confused or disordered mass of objects : jumble

(2)

: something that baffles or frustrates by its tangled or complex character : maze

… the jungle of housing laws …

—Bernard Taper

b

: a place of ruthless struggle for survival

… the city is a jungle where no one is safe after dark.

—Stuart Chase

3

: electronic dance music that combines elements of techno, reggae, and hip-hop and is marked especially by an extremely fast beat

4

: a hobo camp

junglelike

ˈjəŋ-gə(l)-ˌlīk 

adjective

jungly

ˈjəŋ-g(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms of jungle

• jumble
• medley
• variety
• assortment
• collage
• menagerie
• clutter

Examples of jungle in a Sentence

life in the corporate jungle

It's hard to succeed in the business world. It's a jungle out there.

a jungle of environmental laws

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1848, a Guatemalan expedition led by Modesto Méndez, with Ambrosio Tut as a local guide, documented the site and brought it to wider attention, though by then, the jungle had swallowed much of it. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

The runway show featured fashions in backdrops featuring an Italian city square, a French estate, a wild jungle and the surface of the moon. —Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 23 May 2026

What follows are eight properties redefining how the most discerning travelers chase the horizon, from the red rock of the American Southwest to the plains of the Serengeti, the Balinese jungle to the high alpine of Colorado. —Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026

Removing the suckers gets rid of extra vines that will cause a tomato plant to outgrow its space, eventually turning into a tomato jungle. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Hindi jaṅgal & Urdu jangal forest, from Sanskrit jaṅgala desert region

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing jungle

• asphalt jungle
• concrete jungle
• jungle cat
• jungle fowl
• jungle gym
• the law of the jungle

Rhymes for jungle

• antifungal
• fungal

Kids Definition

jungle

noun

jun·​gle ˈjəŋ-gəl 

1

: a thick tangled mass of tropical vegetation

2

: an area overgrown with jungle or other vegetation