wilderness area

noun

often capitalized W&A

: an often large tract of public land maintained essentially in its natural state and protected against introduction of intrusive artifacts (such as roads and buildings)

Examples of wilderness area in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike fires in wilderness areas, which mostly consume vegetation, this breed of urban conflagration sucks up buildings, cars and their contents, spitting hazards well beyond the burn area. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025

This 15-hectare subalpine meadow is at 3,200 m elevation and adjacent to Colorado’s largest wilderness area, with minimal human impact. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025

But as anyone who’s been out in the woods is aware, remote wilderness areas do not necessarily offer such infrastructure. —B. Derrick Taff, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2025

Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park is dealing with an overload of human poop in wilderness areas, and park officials are considering installing a permanent toilet in at least one backcountry area to deal with the problem. —Owen Clarke, Outside, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wilderness area

• araucaria
• arenaria
• honoraria
• mercenaria
• aquaria
• gregaria
• herbaria
• hysteria
• malaria
• puparia
• rancheria
• ceria