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

Bowers learned about them from fellow composer Thomas Kotcheff, and thought their approach to making sounds would evoke the wilderness setting of the movie. —Fred Topel, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2024

Experience Alaska’s wilderness on a seven-day rail trip to the Arctic Circle, complete with dog sledding and mineral baths. —Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The government said the cull was necessary to protect native plants and animals in the alpine wilderness, which are vulnerable to damage from large numbers of feral animals. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024

Two Redding parents were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of killing their 2-year-old child and burying her body in the wilderness, authorities said. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

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