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

Multi-Sport—The Classics Famous for its jungle canopy zip lines, surfing and everything in between, Costa Rica has long been one of the top multi-sport destinations, and nearby Belize and Guatemala are popular as well. — Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Produced by Milos-Films and shot at Hélium Films’ studios in Switzerland’s Lausanne, the short follows three handcrafted monkeys who transform a cold animation studio into a vibrant jungle through creativity, collaboration and resourcefulness. — Jd Linville, Variety, 27 June 2026

On Nia Archives’ second album, Emotional Junglist, jungle’s pop princess folds surf, pop-rock, and grunge into high-octane breaks. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026

Airborne laser mapping allowed researchers to peer through the dense canopy to detect the 37-acre settlement on the Yucatán peninsula; the team then hacked a three-mile path through the jungle with machetes to reach the site, which features a 43-foot-tall pyramid temple. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 25 June 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