# undergrowth

/ˈəndɝˌɡɹoʊθ/ (US) · /ˌʌndəɡɹˈəʊθ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undergrowth
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

low bushes and small plants that grow under tall trees in a forest. You use this word when the ground is thick and hard to walk through.

For teachers: dense low vegetation growing beneath taller trees or shrubs in a woodland or jungle.

## Examples

- We push through the thick undergrowth to reach the river.
- The hikers slowed down as the trail disappeared into dense undergrowth full of nettles and brambles.
- After decades without management, the ancient woodland floor vanished beneath tangled undergrowth that sheltered deer and foxes but blocked light from young saplings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.