jazz

1 of 2

noun

ˈjaz 

1

a

: American music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by propulsive syncopated rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, varying degrees of improvisation, and often deliberate distortions of pitch and timbre

b

: popular dance music influenced by jazz and played in a loud rhythmic manner

2

: jazz dance

takes classes in ballet, tap, and jazz

… No, jazz dance is not dead. Jazz in the twenty-first century is a mix of roots and fruits of the form, traditions, progressions, and transgressions.

—Melanie George

—often used before another noun

a jazz dancer

jazz choreography

3

: similar but unspecified things : stuff

I love the life of the open sea. It's so … free, that wind, and the waves, and all that jazz.

—John Updike

4

: empty talk : nonsense sense 1b(1)

Don't give me that jazz about guys still fighting for jobs. Please. If it's this close to the regular season and you're still fighting for a roster spot … your odds of having a long NFL career are less than slim.

—Tom Jones

jazzlike

ˈjaz-ˌlīk 

adjective

jazz

2 of 2

verb

jazzed; jazzing; jazzes

transitive verb

1

a

: enliven

—usually used with up

b

: accelerate

2

: to play in the manner of jazz

intransitive verb

1

: to go here and there : gad

2

: to dance to or play jazz

Synonyms

Noun

• nuts
• garbage
• nonsense
• blah
• rubbish
• stupidity
• punk
• silliness
• drool
• beans
• fiddle
• bunk
• trash

Verb

• stimulate
• zip (up)
• liven (up)

Examples of jazz in a Sentence

Noun

What's all this jazz about you leaving?

She loves hiking, biking, and all that jazz.

Verb

your assignment is to jazz up the design of that Web page

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Favorites are Sunday champagne brunch with smooth jazz; 24/7 delivered in-room meals (topped off with Apfelstrudel and Viennese Imperial Torte); dining and drinking treats at Café Imperial Wien, Restaurant OPUS and the Imperial Bar. —Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

At first glance, the 2025 San Diego Music Hall of Fame honorees appear to come from different worlds, including punk-rock, jazz, country, Latin, rockabilly and power-pop. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025

Verb

Coach Prime loving the new MLB The University of Colorado’s head football coach still gets jazzed when talking about America’s pastime. —Coy Wire, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025

The mystery story that ChatGPT offered me – after a few of my requests to please jazz it up with more character formation and details – was not bad. —Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1914, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing jazz

• free jazz
• jazz dance
• jazz-rock
• jazz up

Rhymes for jazz

• as
• has
• topaz
• whereas

Kids Definition

jazz

1 of 2 noun

ˈjaz 

1

: American music marked by lively rhythms with unusual accents and often by melodies made up by musicians as they play

2

: empty talk

don't give me any of that jazz

3

: similar but unspecified things : stuff

jazz

2 of 2 verb

1

: enliven

—usually used with up

2

: to play in the manner of jazz