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

The news was especially jarring because Reiner’s relationship with his own famous father had always seemed so enviably affectionate. —Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025

This jarring anecdote encodes the dilemma the authors can’t quite overcome. —Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Experienced in the hush of the white-cube gallery, the accompanying audio could be jarring. —News Desk, Artforum, 15 Dec. 2025

Debut album Blizzard is both jarring and hypnotic, the type of folk record that abides by decades-old traditions but still carves out a new, exciting niche. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jarring

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