jarring

adjective

jar·​ring ˈjär-iŋ 

: 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

Synonyms of jarring

• surprising
• startling
• amazing
• shocking
• stunning

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

Devero said the comments were jarring but not exactly surprising, given the current political climate on campus. —Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026

The number of women in Christian pulpits stands in jarring juxtaposition with the Easter narratives in the New Testament. —Mary Foskett, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026

Goodman in particular plays it so darkly that his scenes have a jarring quality. —Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026

In a way, Pickett’s addition feels like a jarring course correction following Dalton’s miserable performance against the Buffalo Bills last year. —Mike Kaye march 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jarring

• barring
• charring
• marring
• scarring
• sparring
• starring
• tarring
• debarring