jungle

jungle — noun

1. a thick, hot forest in a tropical region where trees, vines, and other plants gr

1.nounB1
Definition

a thick, hot forest in a tropical region where trees, vines, and other plants grow so close together that moving through them is difficult

Example

Folake spent three weeks studying birds deep in the jungles of central Africa.

in the jungles of [region]

Bilal had to cut vines from the narrow jungle path to get through.

Common collocations
  • dense jungle
  • thick jungle
  • deep jungle
  • jungle canopy
  • jungle wildlife
  • through the jungle
  • jungle floor
Synonyms
  • rainforest

    refers specifically to forests with very high annual rainfall, not necessarily dense undergrowth

  • forest

    a general term for any large wooded area; jungle is a specific type of tropical forest

Grammar Patterns

the jungle

jungle + noun (jungle tree, jungle wildlife)

Common Mistakes

We hiked through a jungle rainforest in Thailand.
We hiked through a jungle in Thailand.
a jungle is not a type of rainforest; they are different environments (rainforests have high rainfall, jungles emphasize dense growth).

2. a large, untidy collection of many different things that are mixed together in a

2.nounB2
Definition

a large, untidy collection of many different things that are mixed together in a confusing way, making them hard to sort or separate

Example

Allison searched through a jungle of old documents in the basement looking for the contract.

a jungle of [noun phrase]

The garden behind Constanza's house had turned into a jungle of weeds and wild bushes.

Common collocations
  • a jungle of
  • jungle of wires
  • jungle of cables
  • jungle of weeds
Synonyms
  • jumble

    emphasizes a disorderly mix of objects, but does not suggest the sense of being overwhelmed that 'jungle' implies

  • tangle

    specifically for things that are twisted or coiled together, like wires or hair

  • maze

    suggests a confusing arrangement that is difficult to navigate through

Grammar Patterns

a jungle of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used in the pattern 'a jungle of + plural noun' to describe a messy collection of physical objects.

Common Mistakes

My desk is a jungle.
My desk is a jungle of papers and stationery.
when using 'jungle' as a metaphor for mess, you should follow it with 'of' and the specific items causing the mess.

3. a situation or place, especially in business or society, where people compete ve

3.nounB2
Definition

a situation or place, especially in business or society, where people compete very aggressively and often harm others to gain an advantage

Example

Sahil learned that the fashion world is a jungle where only the toughest survive.

[field] is a jungle

The corporate jungle rewards those who work longer hours than their co-workers.

the corporate jungle

Common collocations
  • corporate jungle
  • concrete jungle
  • the jungle out there
  • a jungle of competition
Synonyms
  • rat race

    specifically refers to the competitive struggle for wealth and status in a career, often with a tone of weariness

  • dog-eat-dog world

    even stronger emphasis on ruthlessness and willingness to harm others for gain

  • battlefield

    suggests direct conflict and casualties rather than ongoing competition

Grammar Patterns

the jungle

[domain] is a jungle

the [adjective] jungle

Usage Note

Subject is most often a workplace, industry, or urban environment. Common fixed collocations include 'corporate jungle' and 'concrete jungle.' Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 describes a social system, not a physical mess.

Common Mistakes

The maths exam was a jungle.
The maths exam was extremely difficult.
'jungle' for competition refers to a long-term social or business environment, not a single event.

4. a very fast style of dance music made with electronic instruments, built around

4.nounC1
Definition

a very fast style of dance music made with electronic instruments, built around quick drum patterns and deep, low bass sounds, originating in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the 1990s

Example

Quan bought old jungle records from a DJ who played in 1990s London.

jungle records

Eri played a jungle track whose fast breakbeats filled the dance floor.

fast breakbeats

Common collocations
  • jungle music
  • jungle track
  • jungle record
  • jungle producer
  • jungle DJ
  • jungle scene
Synonyms
  • drum and bass

    a related genre that evolved from jungle, generally slower and more melodic

  • breakbeat

    a broader category of electronic music built on sampled drum breaks; jungle is a sub-type

Grammar Patterns

jungle + noun (jungle music, jungle track)

Usage Note

Uncountable — do not say 'a jungle' when referring to the music genre. This sense is British in origin and is less known outside the UK electronic music scene.

Idioms

the law of the jungle

idiom

A situation where people will hurt others to get what they want.

In that company, it's the law of the jungle for promotions.

Did the survivors follow the law of the jungle to escape?

Word family

  • jungly
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All five terms describe intensely competitive situations, but they differ in scope and emotional tone. 'Jungle' (sense 3) is the most versatile — it can refer to any competitive setting, from corporate offices to city streets, and carries a sense of wild, lawless survival. 'Rat race' is narrower and more cynical: it implies a frustrating, pointless daily grind for money and status, with an undercurrent of exhaustion rather than danger. 'Dog-eat-dog world' emphasizes ruthless, unscrupulous behaviour, suggesting that people will betray or harm each other to get ahead. 'Battlefield' is more dramatic, implying direct conflict with clear winners and losers. 'Cutthroat environment' is the most neutral and formal option, often used in business journalism. For example, you might say 'the start-up scene is a jungle' to suggest chaotic growth and fierce competition, but 'the start-up scene is a rat race' would imply the founders are chasing funding rather than building something meaningful.

jungle ↗rat racedog-eat-dog worldbattlefield ↗cutthroat environment

Common collocations

Nouns

  • jungle gym
  • jungle cat
  • jungle canopy
  • jungle floor

Phrases

Prepositions

  • in the jungle
  • through the jungle
  • out of the jungle
  • jungle of

Etymology

SanskritHindiEnglish

The word 'jungle' entered English through Hindi/Urdu जंगल (jangal), which originally comes from Sanskrit जङ्गल (jaṅgala), meaning 'arid, rough land' or 'desert.' During British colonial rule in India, the meaning shifted: British speakers applied the word to the dense, overgrown forests they encountered, reversing the original sense of dryness. By the late 19th century, 'jungle' had come to mean any tropical forest with thick vegetation in English. The metaphorical senses (a messy mass, a ruthless competitive environment) emerged in the early 20th century, and the music genre sense appeared in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s.