jungle

noun

jun·​gle ˈjəŋ-gəl How to pronounce jungle (audio)
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 lawsBernard Taper
b
: a place of ruthless struggle for survival
the city is a jungle where no one is safe after darkStuart 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 adjective
jungly adjective

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 So many have crossed that Chinese citizens are now the fourth-largest group traversing the jungle. Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023 Attacked by Amazon's most venomous snake, man survives days in the jungle Far below those factories in the supply chain, in an economy that’s nearly entirely informal, are the river people. Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023 Ecuadorian migrants climb a rocky trail in the wild and dangerous jungle on November 20, 2022, in Darién Gap, Colombia. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2023 Bernstein leaps up, opens the curtains, flings his arms wide, and utters a roar of anticipatory delight, like Tarzan greeting a bright new day in the jungle. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023 For expanding the jungle: Besgrow Spagmoss Premium New Zealand Sphagnum Moss The best gift for a plant lover: more plants. Helen Bradshaw, Popular Science, 9 Nov. 2023 The set also includes extra fun details to build, including a red bird in a jungle, a bonsai tree, and water lilies. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 13 Nov. 2023 How four young children survived Amazon plane crash and 40 days alone in the jungle Oliveira had been sent deep into the forest in Amazonas state with two others to measure a property along the Juma River, more than 20 miles by foot from the nearest town. Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023 Isla Palenque This private, 400-acre resort has eight beachfront casitas (plus a VIP Villa Estate) from which guests can explore seven untouched private beaches, wilderness trails in the jungle, and stunning ocean views. Emmanuel Burgio, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jungle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of jungle was in 1776

Dictionary Entries Near jungle

Cite this Entry

“Jungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jungle. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

jungle

noun
jun·​gle ˈjəŋ-gəl How to pronounce jungle (audio)
1
: a thick tangled mass of tropical vegetation
2
: an area overgrown with jungle or other vegetation

More from Merriam-Webster on jungle

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