jarring

adjective

jar·​ring ˈjär-iŋ How to pronounce jarring (audio)
: 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

Recent Examples on the Web Central Catholic's Jack Steen absorbs a jarring hit from St. John's Prep's John Droggitis after making a catch during Saturday's football game in Danvers. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023 The ending was jarring and shook me to my core, but don’t take my word for it. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 The violence of the piece is jarring at first, but as the short composition plays out, its musical pulse rises to the fore. Kriston Capps, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023 Bland’s interception came courtesy of a jarring hit by Trevon Diggs. Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas News, 11 Sep. 2023 These findings must be jarring for folks inside the Biden White House, who believe the president’s record of accomplishments (Covid relief package, infrastructure law, CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act) rivals any modern president since LBJ. Chuck Todd, NBC News, 6 Sep. 2023 The cheapest ticket for that affair is set at $210, but that's not the most jarring thing about this game. Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2023 The storyline, which took hold in the penultimate episode of And Just Like That…'s second season, was jarring to watch. Alanna Bennett, refinery29.com, 25 Aug. 2023 Price at time of publish: $190 Hatch Restore 4.8 View On Amazon View On Target View On The Container Store Waking up to a loud alarm clock is jarring, but Hatch Restore brings in a more soothing wake up call for sleepy couples. Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jarring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jarring was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near jarring

Cite this Entry

“Jarring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jarring. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

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