jarring

adjective

jar·​ring ˈjär-iŋ How to pronounce jarring (audio)
Synonyms of jarringnext
: having a harshly concussive, disagreeable, or discordant effect
a jarring tackle
It is not hard to imagine how the wounded will fare in a long jarring ride over rough roads …William Baxter
After watching the British reports, I found the American ones jarring.Michael Massing
There is not a single jarring note from the minute you enter this turn-of-the-century palazzo, lovingly restored to its glory days …Kati Marton
jarringly adverb
jarringly harsh language
a jarringly hard hit
… an aroma that I found jarringly distracting … Randal Caparoso
The book is his angry, raunchy, opinionated, sometimes moving, jarringly frank autobiography … Brad Darrach

Examples of jarring in a Sentence

the jarring news that major financial institutions were on the verge of collapse the final chord of that song is too jarring for me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Considering how much this team had to scratch and claw to get to the point of being down 2-1, the lack of attention to detail and the lack of emotion — on its home floor, with a chance to tie the series — was jarring. Tony Jones, New York Times, 11 May 2026 Yes as a onetime member of the band; or a sense that their music—with its own outlandish sonics, jarring interruptions, intricate riffs played once and tossed away—had more in common with his channel-surfing vision of pop than the average listener might have realized. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 9 May 2026 This study’s findings were particularly jarring because unlike past AI medical studies, the researchers didn’t clean up the data. Jake Angelo, Fortune, 4 May 2026 But the degree to which the Spurs are favored is a bit jarring. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for jarring

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jarring was in 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Jarring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jarring. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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