wilderness
wilderness — noun
1. a natural region where towns, roads, and farms have not been built and where ver
a natural region where towns, roads, and farms have not been built and where very few people live
The hikers spent three days walking through the Alaskan wilderness without seeing another person.
collocation: walk through / Alaskan wilderness
Large parts of northern Canada remain a frozen wilderness with no roads or towns.
collocation: frozen wilderness
The government set aside thousands of hectares as protected wilderness.
Only a handful of bird species can survive in this harsh wilderness.
Tuan spent his childhood exploring the wilderness behind his grandparents' farm.
- wilds
more poetic, suggests remote and dangerous country
- backcountry
focuses on remoteness from towns, often used for hiking areas
- wasteland
negative tone; suggests barren or damaged land rather than natural beauty
- bushland
mainly Australian/New Zealand usage; refers to scrubby natural areas
- city
the built-up human environment opposite to wilderness
- urban area
developed land with buildings and infrastructure
- farmland
land cultivated for crops or livestock
文法句型
the wilderness
a vast wilderness
wilderness + area/region
用法筆記
Usually uncountable. Can be used as a countable noun when referring to a specific area (e.g., 'a vast wilderness of snow and ice'). The word often carries a sense of respect for nature's power rather than simply meaning 'empty land.'
常見錯誤
2. a section of a garden or yard where plants grow thickly without being trimmed or
a section of a garden or yard where plants grow thickly without being trimmed or controlled, sometimes left that way on purpose for a natural look
At the back of the garden, a small wilderness of wildflowers and ferns grew freely.
pattern: a wilderness of + plants
The old house sat in a wilderness of tall grass and tangled bushes left uncut.
Lan turned a corner of the yard into a wilderness of easy-care native plants.
The children loved playing in the wilderness area, where the bushes made secret hiding spots.
- wild garden
more deliberate, suggests intentional natural planting
- overgrowth
implies neglect rather than deliberate choice
- thicket
focuses on dense woody plants rather than general plant growth
- tangle
emphasises the messy, intertwined quality of the plants
- lawn
trimmed, open grassy area
- flower bed
cultivated, organised planting area
文法句型
a wilderness of + plants
wilderness area (in a garden)
用法筆記
This sense is much more common in British English gardening contexts than in American English. In the US, gardeners typically say 'wild garden' or 'native plant area' instead.
3. a large and confusing collection of different things that is difficult to unders
a large and confusing collection of different things that is difficult to understand or find your way through
The old town market was a wilderness of stalls selling spices, fabrics, and jewellery.
pattern: a wilderness of + nouns
New parents often feel lost in a wilderness of advice from friends, books, and websites.
The report was a wilderness of numbers and charts that left the board members confused.
For a first-time buyer, the housing market feels like a wilderness of confusing rules.
文法句型
a wilderness of + plural noun
用法筆記
Always takes the form 'a wilderness of [plural things]' and is almost always singular. The phrase is metaphorical — the things themselves are not wild, but their sheer number and lack of order creates a feeling similar to being lost in nature.
常見錯誤
4. the situation of a person or group that has lost its former importance or influe
the situation of a person or group that has lost its former importance or influence, especially after having held power or public attention
After losing the election, the former senator spent years in the political wilderness.
collocation: in the political wilderness
The opposition party was in the wilderness for a decade before returning to power.
Several senior ministers were sent into the wilderness after openly disagreeing with the prime minister.
Salma's political career began in the wilderness as a local organiser with no real influence.
- power
the state of having authority and influence
- prominence
public visibility and importance
文法句型
in the wilderness
into the wilderness
out of the wilderness
the political wilderness
用法筆記
Almost always appears in fixed phrases with 'the': 'in the wilderness,' 'into the wilderness,' 'out of the wilderness.' The article is required even though 'wilderness' here is abstract. This sense is most common in political journalism but can extend to any field (e.g., 'the band spent years in the wilderness before their comeback album').