jingle

1 of 2

verb

jin·​gle ˈjiŋ-gəl How to pronounce jingle (audio)
jingled; jingling ˈjiŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jingle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to make a light clinking or tinkling sound
2
: to rhyme or sound in a catchy repetitious manner

transitive verb

: to cause to jingle
jingler noun

jingle

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a light clinking or tinkling sound
b
: a catchy repetition of sounds in a poem
2
a
: something that jingles
b
: a short verse or song marked by catchy repetition
jingly adjective

Examples of jingle in a Sentence

Verb Bells jingled in the distance. She jingled the coins in her pocket. Noun I heard the jingle of bells. the jingle of change in my pocket
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.
Verb
Dogs showing signs of separation anxiety may benefit from gradual desensitization to being alone and learning to dissociate cues like jingling keys from being left alone. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025 Some hikers wear small bells that jingle while walking, signaling their presence to animals. Ruffin Prevost, AFAR Media, 18 July 2025
Noun
Know Your Meme points out the Jet2holidays jingle was used in November 2024, with a TikTok video of out-of-control camels in a desert. Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 While Jet2 would like its customers to think of their advertisements as a sign that an awesome vacation to Malta is right around the corner, most people using the Jet2 advert jingle have gone for the exact opposite effect. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for jingle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ginglen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of jingle was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jingle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jingle. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

jingle

1 of 2 verb
jin·​gle ˈjiŋ-gəl How to pronounce jingle (audio)
jingled; jingling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jingle (audio)
: to make or cause to make a light clinking sound
coins jingled in their pockets
jingler noun

jingle

2 of 2 noun
1
: a light clinking sound
2
: a catchy repetition of sounds in a poem
3
: a verse or song marked by catchy repetition
jingly adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on jingle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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