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

• nature
• open
• open air
• out-of-doors
• outdoors
• wild

Examples of wilderness in a Sentence

She enjoys hikes through the wilderness.

released the wolf back into the wilderness

Recent Examples on the Web

The last time Democrats were this deep in the wilderness was in 2005, when few outside the DNC had heard of Barack Obama. —Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025

According to Botti, three weeks is the longest he’s seen someone survive in the wilderness after going missing. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025

But at the time, Pesonen had no idea what to say about wilderness. —Leisl Carr Childers, The Conversation, 13 May 2025

If Dallas chooses him No. 1 next month, Flagg gives Mavericks fans hope that their team won’t be wandering in the wilderness when their 30-something stars begin to fade. —Christian Clark, New York Times, 13 May 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