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

Security forces have launched anti-mining operations down the years, even blowing up the miners' equipment deep in the jungle. —Simeon Tegel, NPR, 2 Apr. 2024

As the patrol moved through the jungle, gunfire came from off the trail several times. —Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

The Philippine Marines taught their American counterparts survival skills, like finding and purifying water from bamboo, and cooking pigs and goats in the jungle. —Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

Barbell revealed that there were cases in the jungle that would ensure only his own immunity. —Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024

Located on a private bay nestled in the jungle of Lamai, honeymooners can get some alone time at a private villa complete with their own personal concierge and sizable infinity pool. —Shelby Wax, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024

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

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