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

Season 2 of Yellowjackets, the dual-timeline series about a group of teens who got stranded in the wilderness, created even more tension and questions than its first outing. —Lucy Ford, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024

The project, aptly renamed The Tabernacle, is a powerful symbol of renewal — a reminder that even in the wilderness, communities can come together to rebuild. —Mark Kellar, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024

After bushwhacking through uncultivated wilderness, the ground team found the woman, the Coast Guard said. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2024

Those looking for a meal with a side of storybook charm can find it in the Rhode Island wilderness. —Caitlin Palumbo, Forbes, 11 Dec. 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