jungle

American  

[juhng-guhl] / ˈdʒʌŋ gəl /

noun

• jungles
  plural

1. a wild land overgrown with dense vegetation, often nearly impenetrable, especially tropical vegetation or a tropical rainforest.

2. a tract of such land.

3. a wilderness of dense overgrowth; a piece of swampy, thickset forestland.

4. any confused mass or agglomeration of objects; jumble.

   a jungle of wrecked automobiles.

5. something that baffles or perplexes; maze.

   a jungle of legal double-talk.

6. a scene of violence and struggle for survival.

   The neglected prison was a jungle for its inmates.

7. a place or situation of ruthless competition.

   the advertising jungle.

8. Slang.

   1. (in historical use) a hobo camp.

      We found him by the campfire, with many similarly raggedy hobos in what is known as a jungle.

   2. any camp of unhoused individuals.

      Law enforcement clears the jungle and tears down the temporary structures a few times each year, but people return and a new encampment always springs up.

---

jungle British  

/ ˈdʒʌŋɡəl /

noun

1. an equatorial forest area with luxuriant vegetation, often almost impenetrable

2. any dense or tangled thicket or growth

3. a place of intense competition or ruthless struggle for survival

   the concrete jungle

4. a type of fast electronic dance music, originating in the early 1990s, which combines elements of techno and ragga

5. slang (esp in the Depression) a gathering place for the unemployed, etc

---

jungle Idioms  

1. see law of the jungle.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underjungle
  noun
• jungled
  adjective
• jungly
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• jungles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of jungle

First recorded in 1770–80; from Hindi jaṅgal, from Sanskrit jaṅgala “uncultivated land, dry land, waterless place”

Explanation

A jungle is a forest thick with trees, other plants, and animals. Jungles are a little dangerous, which is what people mean when they say, "It's a jungle out there!" Jungles — thick tropical forests — are full of life: birds, insects, reptiles, monkeys, and often gorillas and other animals. They're dangerous places, even for the animals that live there. This is why jungle also means any place that is risky or wild. If someone does something a dishonest or shady to get their way, some people will say that's "The law of the jungle," meaning you have to do some shifty things to survive.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jungle jungles

Guayaramerin, a town of 40,000 people with dusty streets of red earth that contrast sharply with the vivid green of the jungle, survives off trade with Brazil.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

They went on a hike with Schalk’s brother and kids to a spot with a beautiful jungle view and large swing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

But the whole experience has made me wary enough that now, whether I’ve trekked through nature or the concrete jungle, a quick tick check is a part of my nighttime routine.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

“How do you know he’s not still alive in the jungle, like you hear about in ’Nam?…

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

I would close my eyes, and try to imagine myself out in the jungle away from everything that was going on, far from the war and all this unhappiness.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

At 100, Attenborough no longer wanders the world's jungles and deserts.

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

"We are homeless, hiding in jungles, and living between life and death," said the 40-year-old.

From Barron's ● Dec. 27, 2025

Visiting the Welsh Guards has become an annual fixture for the prince, a connection which dates back to his 2003 gap year when he accompanied them in the jungles of Belize in Central America.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025

Many made the treacherous journey through the jungles of the Darien Gap before setting up camp in a park near the Perkins K-8 school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025

But it was not the green color of the jungles, suffocating and strangling the earth.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko

Related Words

• forest
• wasteland
• wood