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 California has what's known as a jungle primary, in which the top two vote-getters regardless of party advance to the general election in November. Nikole Killion, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Robin Williams was running from wild animals in the suburbs long before Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan went exploring in the jungle. Katie Rife, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2024 The quaint village of Manzanillo is a Caribbean paradise immersed in the jungle of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge. Roger Sands, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Ceviche is eaten daily throughout Peru, in coastal cities like Lima, in the Amazonian jungle, and in the Andean highlands near the country’s most famous tourist site, Machu Picchu. Johanna Read, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 From the harsh climates of the Arctic tundra to the lush jungles of South America and the uncharted depths of the ocean, the series unveils the natural world's most captivating wonders across 11 episodes, each providing a behind-the-scenes peek into its production challenges. Briana Richert, James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 Until very recently, the Darién Gap, a treacherous stretch of jungle that straddles Colombia and Panama, served as a natural buffer limiting migration from South America. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 That site is Calakmul — a rival to the massive city of Tikal in Guatemala — shrouded by the thick jungles of the state of Campeche within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 14 Feb. 2024 Betrayed by expedition sponsor Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), Constance dies in the jungle, but not before being bitten by one of the elusive spiders, who passes its powers on to her unborn daughter. Peter Debruge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024

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 19 Mar. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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