wilderness

noun

wil·​der·​ness ˈwil-dər-nəs 

1

a(1)

: a tract or region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings

(2)

: an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community

b

: an empty or pathless area or region

in remote wildernesses of space groups of nebulae are found

—G. W. Gray †1960

c

: a part of a garden devoted to wild growth

2

obsolete : wild or uncultivated state

3

a

: a confusing multitude or mass : an indefinitely great number or quantity

I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys

—William Shakespeare

b

: a bewildering situation

those moral wildernesses of civilized life

—Norman Mailer

Synonyms

• wild
• desert
• country
• outdoors

Examples of wilderness in a Sentence

She enjoys hikes through the wilderness.

released the wolf back into the wilderness

Recent Examples on the Web

Kentucky's vast wilderness and mountainous regions served as hideaways for bootleggers, Rein said, while the government used paid informants to sniff them out. —Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025

The settlers, their military escorts and 1,000 head of livestock traveled about 1,200 miles across rugged wilderness for about 5 1/2 months to forts and missions. —Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025

Start With Single Day Resort Heli-Skiing Mention heli-skiing to someone who reads ski magazines or watches movies but has not actually done it, and what comes to mind is almost always remote mountain lodges deep in the wilderness, where small groups go for a week of heli-skiing, day in and day out. —Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Designated a National Historic Landmark, this remarkable route spans more than 64 miles of unspoiled wilderness, traversing the majestic scenery of Colorado and New Mexico. —Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from wildern wild, from Old English wilddēoren of wild beasts

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing wilderness

• wilderness area

Kids Definition

wilderness

noun

wil·​der·​ness ˈwil-dər-nəs 

: an area in which few people live that is not used for farming and is more or less in its natural state