wilderness

noun

wil·​der·​ness ˈwil-dər-nəs How to pronounce wilderness (audio)
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 foundG. 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 monkeysWilliam Shakespeare
b
: a bewildering situation
those moral wildernesses of civilized lifeNorman Mailer

Examples of wilderness in a Sentence

She enjoys hikes through the wilderness. released the wolf back into the wilderness
Recent Examples on the Web In early 2017 while in the wilderness of MRSA, Barnett filed an AIR21 whistleblower complaint with The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Shawn Tully, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 Hoss will play Hanna, a doctor who, during the midst of an epidemic, goes into self-isolation in the mountain wilderness to protect herself and others. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 The retreat, less than a 20-minute drive from Acadia National Park, delivers awe-striking wilderness with a touch of luxury across its 64 canvas tents. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024 The original Natchez Trace was a wilderness roadway, initially a path developed by bison and elk traveling to the great Salt Lick that later became Nashville. Bill Frist, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 History buffs probably won’t be the only ones fascinated as the movie slows down to show how Crockett constructs a lean-to shelter in the wilderness while recovering from his injuries, and later manages to coax a wild horse to become his replacement mount. Joe Leydon, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 Nova and Nita came to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in 2017 as cubs after losing their mother in the Montana wilderness the year before, according to the zoo’s post from July 2023. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 The state’s unspoiled wilderness is far from the only uncrowded US parkland. Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 None say wilderness therapy helped them with their struggles. Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wilderness.' 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

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)

Time Traveler
The first known use of wilderness was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near wilderness

Cite this Entry

“Wilderness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wilderness. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wilderness

noun
wil·​der·​ness ˈwil-dər-nəs How to pronounce wilderness (audio)
: an area in which few people live that is not used for farming and is more or less in its natural state

More from Merriam-Webster on wilderness

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!