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 This version of the character, who's based on a 1912 story by author Edgar Rice Burroughs, was about a man who had been raised in the jungle but left and returned more sophisticated. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2024 The venue was dotted with pink Japanese cherry blossom trees, creating an ethereal pink jungle atmosphere. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2024 For the former, challenging jungle hikes through lush terrain and roaring rivers are rewarded by scenic waterfall views, such as those of Tinago and San Carlos Falls. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2024 Netflix is to tell the miracle story of the four children who survived 40 days in the Colombian jungle via a feature doc from Oscar-winner Orlando Von Einsiedel, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer‘s Imagine Documentaries, and Grain Media. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jungle 

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 5 Nov. 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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