wil ‧ der ‧ ness /ˈwɪldənəs, ˈwɪldənɪs $ -dər-/ BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: wildeornes 'land where wild animals live' , from wild deor 'wild animal' ]
1 . a large area of land that has never been developed or farmed:
the Alaskan wilderness
2 . a place that seems no longer used or cared for by anyone:
The garden was a wilderness.
The south side of the city had become a lawless wilderness.
3 . in/from/out of the wilderness someone who is in the wilderness does not have power or is not involved in something in an important way at a particular time:
the re-emergence of Richard Nixon from the political wilderness in 1968
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THESAURUS
▪ countryside noun [uncountable] an area away from towns and cities, where there are fields, forests etc – used especially when talking about the natural beauty of this kind of area:
The walk takes you through some beautiful countryside.
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The countryside changes in winter.
▪ the country noun [singular] the area away from towns and cities, where there are fields, forests etc:
Tired of city life, they moved to the country.
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I've always wanted to live in the country.
▪ landscape noun [countable usually singular] a large area of countryside that you see from somewhere:
The house looks out over a peaceful rural landscape.
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Adams is famous for his photographs of the American landscape.
▪ scenery noun [uncountable] the natural features of part of a country, such as mountains, forests etc, especially when these are attractive:
New Zealand has some spectacular scenery.
▪ wilderness noun [uncountable and countable] a large area of land that has never been developed or farmed:
Yukon is a vast wilderness of mountains, lakes, and forests.
▪ the bush noun [singular] wild country that has not been cleared, especially in Australia or Africa:
The camp is popular with tourists wishing to experience the African bush.
▪ rural adjective relating to the country:
People are moving away from rural areas.
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rural communities