jingle

1 of 2

verb

jin·​gle ˈjiŋ-gəl How to pronounce jingle (audio)
jingled; jingling ˈjiŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jingle (audio)
Synonyms of jinglenext

intransitive verb

1
: to make a light clinking or tinkling sound
2
: to rhyme or sound in a catchy repetitious manner

transitive verb

: to cause to jingle
jingler noun

jingle

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a light clinking or tinkling sound
b
: a catchy repetition of sounds in a poem
2
a
: something that jingles
b
: a short verse or song marked by catchy repetition
jingly adjective

Examples of jingle in a Sentence

Verb Bells jingled in the distance. She jingled the coins in her pocket. Noun I heard the jingle of bells. the jingle of change in my pocket
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The Household Cavalry, on dark horses and with brightly shining breastplates, trotted past, jingling like a cutlery drawer. Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 The hiker then begins jingling bells in the bear's face in an attempt to scare it off, but the bear charges forward. Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Well, in honor of teaming up with Lizzo to reimagine and bring back the iconic Baby Back Ribs jingle, Chili’s has also updated the fan-favorite menu item for modern times. Molly Burford, Southern Living, 27 May 2026 The jingle has staying power — much to the delight of prolific thriller author James Patterson, who helped write the lyrics in his early career in advertising. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for jingle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ginglen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of jingle was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jingle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jingle. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

jingle

1 of 2 verb
jin·​gle ˈjiŋ-gəl How to pronounce jingle (audio)
jingled; jingling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jingle (audio)
: to make or cause to make a light clinking sound
coins jingled in their pockets
jingler noun

jingle

2 of 2 noun
1
: a light clinking sound
2
: a catchy repetition of sounds in a poem
3
: a verse or song marked by catchy repetition
jingly adjective

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