26984 words

wilderness

4 definitions • 6 examples
1
an area of land that has not been used to grow crops or had towns and roads built on it, especially because it is difficult to live in as a result of its extremely cold or hot weather or bad earth:

Examples:

a beautiful mountain wilderness
Alaska is the last great wilderness.
mainly US It's a wilderness area, under the protection of the Parks Department.
2
an outside area in which plants are left to grow naturally or untidily:

Examples:

The garden was a wilderness of weeds and overgrown bushes.
3
an area of land that has not been farmed or had towns and roads built on it, esp. because it is difficult to live in as a result of its extremely cold or hot weather or bad earth:

Examples:

Large parts of Canada are still wilderness.
4
if someone previously in a position of power is now in the wilderness, they have lost their power and it is not clear if or how they will get it back:

Examples:

His dismissal from the Cabinet led to a long period in the political wilderness.

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