jangle

verb

jan·gle | \ ˈjaŋ-gəl

jangled; jangling\ ˈjaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ

Definition of jangle

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to make a harsh or discordant often ringing sound keys jangling in my pocket

2 : to quarrel verbally

3 : to talk idly

transitive verb

1a : to cause to sound harshly or inharmoniously

b : to excite to tense irritation jangled nerves

2 : to utter or sound in a discordant, babbling, or chattering way

jangle

noun

Definition of jangle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a discordant often ringing sound the jangle of spurs

2 : noisy quarreling

3 : idle talk

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Examples of jangle in a Sentence

Verb

Coins jangled out of the machine. He jangled his keys loudly outside the door.

Noun

the hall was abuzz with the usual preconvention jangle

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The escalating trade war has jangled nerves among farmers in California, where the European Union, Canada and China are the three largest export markets for agricultural goods. — Samuel Chamberlain, Fox News, "Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says tariffs 'like weight loss'," 15 Aug. 2018 Newsletter Sign-up An array of Western multinationals have stumbled in the China market over remarks or marketing campaigns that jangle patriotic and political sensitivities. — WSJ, "Dolce & Gabbana Tripped Up in China by Promo Deemed Racist," 22 Nov. 2018 The structure is episodic, focusing heavily — and with nerve-jangling intensity — on those moments when equipment malfunctions and momentary miscalculations put people’s lives at risk. — Noel Murray, The Verge, "Netflix’s Last Man on the Moon is a perfect bookend for First Man," 12 Oct. 2018 The acting in Worsham's imprecise production is jangled at points; beats are missed and subtext is sometimes ignored. — Charles Mcnulty, latimes.com, "In 'Belleville,' two Americans in Paris head into Hitchcock territory," 24 Apr. 2018 The crowd in Austin also was jangled by its slow-burn escalation of menace to a climax of outrageous, deeply unsettling proportions. — Mekado Murphy, New York Times, "SXSW Film: The Movies and Performers That Stood Out," 15 Mar. 2018 All in all, these retro cookbooks promise to soothe whatever jangles your modern-day nerves, to draw you into the comforting bosom of kitchens long past, and to serve up what’s most delicious and shall not be lost. — Barbara Mahany, chicagotribune.com, "Retro cookbooks offer comforts from another era for these uncertain times," 29 June 2018 During the seventh-inning stretch, fans take their keys out of their pockets and enthusiastically jangle them in the air. — Chris Kaltenbach, baltimoresun.com, "A guide to visiting all of Maryland's minor league ballparks," 10 July 2018 When the pistachios were gone, Wayne then jangled his car keys to lure in the little fellow. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "At summer campsite, cute squirrels can go rogue," 9 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Accessories such as a statement necklace, a jangle of (fake) bangles, dangly earrings and a colorful, gauzy scarf will add zip to a basic look. — Amy Tara Koch, Washington Post, "Leave the suitcase at home. Here’s why you should just take a carry-on, and how to pack it.," 7 June 2019 The Sugarman Another victim of the Black Hood, the Sugarman, also known as Mr. Philips, was an English teacher at Southside High with a side job as a drug supplier of jingle jangle. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "Every "Riverdale" Character That's Been Killed Off," 10 May 2019 There is a certain West Coast folk-rock jangle to the song, although the vocals are a bit more agitated than America, which definitely suits the lyrics. — Ed Masley, azcentral, "10 Songs You Need to Hear Right Now: Gorillaz, Pusha T, Father John Misty, No Volcano, Post Hoc," 12 June 2018 Unsurprisingly, Reggie is the one who supplied his friends with the jingle jangle. — refinery29.com, "After That Riverdale Shooting, How Did We Get Here With Reggie?," 3 May 2018 By using the properties of music, the sounds Douek and Beckerman envision in Alarm Fatigue could convey more information to caregivers, and in a form that would be easier to grasp—plus more pleasant—than a jangle of unrelated beeps. — Susannah Gardiner, Smithsonian, "Could Our Housewares Keep Us Healthier?," 3 May 2018 Competing salsa tracks spill out of shops and restaurants; car horns sound off in frustration in standstill traffic; and metal spatulas jangle on the grills of street-side taco stalls. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Days in Mexico City," 16 Apr. 2018 Today, with the widest media and social-media reach in history, every new workplace shooting jangles the nation’s population from coast to coast — and churns up new calls for better security each time, experts note. — Kevin Fagan, San Francisco Chronicle, "Bay Area companies sharpen focus on security after shootings," 8 Apr. 2018 More recently, her 2017 release Pussycat was an album-length rebuke to our current president, with sharp lyrics and a welcoming musical jangle. — Robert Ham, Billboard, "Juliana Hatfield on Her Olivia Newton-John Covers Album: 'I Wanted to Escape From All the Horrible Negativity'," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jangle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.