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Synonyms

ajar

1 American  
[uh-jahr] / əˈdʒɑr /

adjective

  1. neither entirely open nor entirely shut; partly open.

    The door was ajar.
ajar 2 American  
[uh-jahr] / əˈdʒɑr /

adverb

  1. in contradiction to; at variance with.

    a story ajar with the facts.
ajar 1 British  
/ əˈdʒɑː /

adjective

  1. (esp of a door or window) slightly open

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ajar 2 British  
/ əˈdʒɑː /

adjective

  1. (postpositive) not in harmony

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ajar1

1350–1400; Middle English on char on the turn; a- 1, char 3

Origin of ajar2

1545–55; for at jar at discord; jar 3 (noun)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A defender must monitor every virtual door and window; an attacker need only find one that is ajar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

If our hearts weren’t already open, they’ve just been forced ajar with a rusty, emotional crowbar.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025

AC Milan left the leadership door ajar when they drew with Pisa on Friday night to move onto 17 points.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

An early break put him on track to set up a decider but, from 5-2 up, he lost his way and left the door ajar for Auger-Aliassime to force a tie-break.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

She’d found his cabin door ajar and heard the coach inside, talking as if he were on the phone with someone—except they had no phones on board.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.