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

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

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

Lucrative markets For years, most meth in the region has come from manufacturers in the Golden Triangle, a remote jungle zone where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. —Chris Lau, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

Alone in the jungle with only their cook, both were felled by malaria. —Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

The stunning finale is a congressional first for California since the state switched to a jungle primary system in 2012 where the top two vote-getters head to the general election regardless of their party. —Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024

Grab them in sizes S through XXL and seven colors, including neutrals, like black and beige, plus spring-ready hues like blue and jungle green. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

President Gustavo Petro made environmental preservation a key part of the peace process with armed groups that dominate jungle areas, Weisse noted. —Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024

The resort also offers a Kids Club with half-day excursions that include jungle ecology lessons and wildlife spotting. —Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2024

So was there, the temple was surrounded by jungle foliage, and the stones were a glossy black. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Vaughan suggests looking at your business as a living entity - but more like a jungle than a garden. —Jane Hanson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

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

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