1 jungle | Definition of jungle

jungle

noun, often attributive
jun·​gle | \ ˈjəŋ-gÉ™l How to pronounce jungle (audio) \

Definition of jungle

1a : an impenetrable thicket or tangled mass of tropical vegetation
b : a tract overgrown with thickets or masses of vegetation
2a(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 laws— Bernard Taper
b : a place of ruthless struggle for survival the city is a jungle where no one is safe after dark— Stuart 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

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Other Words from jungle

junglelike \ ˈjəŋ-​gÉ™(l)-​ËŒlÄ«k How to pronounce junglelike (audio) \ adjective
jungly \ ˈjəŋ-​g(É™-​)lÄ“ How to pronounce jungly (audio) \ 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
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Recent Examples on the Web

Suter’s dog pops up as frequently, as do views into the jungle through her capacious windows (one, swabbed in what looks like quick, bold strokes, looks almost like a Franz Kline in deep royal blue). Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Painter Vivian Suter emerges from decades of self-exile with bright, blissful works at the ICA," 29 Aug. 2019 The further into the jungle, the more expensive these goods get. Vasco Cotovio, CNN, "A trail of 'bloody gold' leads to Venezuela's government," 20 Aug. 2019 And when Dora and her squad head into the jungle, there are discussions of colonialism: not only in the historical sense of Europeans plundering the natural resources of South America, but their artifacts, too. Kristen Page-kirby, Twin Cities, "There’s no treasure to be found in the boring ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’," 9 Aug. 2019 On their third morning on the road, the Bangladeshi military commanded them to all move away into the dense jungle. New York Times, "The Schoolteacher and the Genocide," 8 Aug. 2019 Watching his comrades fall, Jacob flees into the jungle and gets a bayonet in the stomach for his trouble. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "First trailer for Jacob’s Ladder reboot looks as spooky as the 1990 original," 2 July 2019 The woman runs into the jungle but is spotted by a tiger, apparently in a robot rebellion of his own. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, "'Westworld' recap: New parks and emotional wrecks," 6 May 2018 His concoction of animal poop, household garbage and mulch from a neighboring cemetery nourished his lush one-acre jungle and fertilized many of San Gabriel Valley’s organic gardens. Los Angeles Times, "Tim Dundon, ‘Guru of Doo Doo,’ whose compost nourished Altadena’s gardens, dies at 77," 6 Aug. 2019 And Shun is indeed just that—a welcome escape from the urban jungle and a bona fide culinary journey all rolled into one. Samantha Swenson, ELLE Decor, "This New Restaurant's Art Deco-Inspired Interiors Are as Enticing as the Menu," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jungle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of jungle

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

History and Etymology for jungle

Hindi jaá¹…gal & Urdu jangal forest, from Sanskrit jaá¹…gala desert region

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More Definitions for jungle

jungle

noun
jun·​gle | \ ˈjəŋ-gÉ™l How to pronounce jungle (audio) \

Kids Definition of jungle

1 : a thick or tangled growth of tropical plants The explorers hacked at the jungle to clear a path.
2 : a large area of land usually in a tropical region covered with a thick tangled growth of plants

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More from Merriam-Webster on jungle

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with jungle

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for jungle