jingle
Americanverb (used without object)
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jingles,
present (3rd person singular)
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jingled,
past participle, past
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jingling
present participle
-
to make clinking or tinkling sounds, as do coins, keys, or other light, resonant metal objects when coming into contact or being struck together repeatedly.
The keys on his belt jingled as he walked.
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to move or proceed with such sounds.
The sleigh, decorated with bells, jingled along the snowy road.
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to sound in a light, repetitious manner suggestive of this, as verse, a sequence of words, or piece of music.
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to make rhymes.
verb (used with object)
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jingles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
jingled,
past participle, past
-
jingling
present participle
noun
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jingles
plural
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a tinkling or clinking sound, as of small bells or of small pieces of resonant metal repeatedly struck one against another.
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something that makes such a sound, as a small bell or a metal pendant.
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a catchy succession of like or repetitious sounds, as in music or verse.
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a piece of verse or a short song having such a catchy succession of sounds, usually of a light or humorous character.
an advertising jingle.
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Irish English and Australian. a loosely sprung, two-wheeled, roofed carriage, usually used as a hackney coach.
verb
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to ring or cause to ring lightly and repeatedly
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(intr) to sound in a manner suggestive of jingling
a jingling verse
noun
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a sound of metal jingling
the jingle of the keys
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a catchy and rhythmic verse, song, etc, esp one used in advertising
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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jinglesimple
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jinglessimple
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have jingledperfect
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has jingledperfect
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am jinglingprogressive
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are jinglingprogressive
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is jinglingprogressive
-
have been jinglingperfect progressive
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has been jinglingperfect progressive
Past
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jingledsimple
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had jingledperfect
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was jinglingprogressive
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were jinglingprogressive
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had been jinglingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jingle
1350–1400; Middle English gynglen, apparently imitative; compare Dutch jengelen; see -le
Explanation
To jingle is to make a sound like pieces of metal jangling together, like those bells people sing about at Christmas. A jingle is also a funny little poem or song. Have you ever heard a dog's metal tags banging together? That sound is called a jingle. A jingle is a metallic sound — a cowboy's spurs and a set of keys being shaken both jingle. If you drop a bunch of change on the ground, it will jingle. A jingle is also a bit of comic poetry, like a little song. Jingles are often made as advertisements because they tend to be catchy.
Vocabulary lists containing jingle
Metaphors from Top AP English Exam Novels
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A Good Kind of Trouble
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And Then, Boom!
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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.
See Examples For:
The catchy jingle that has been getting stuck in heads for nearly three decades was pulled from the air after a California man took Kars4Kids to court for false advertising.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026
The jingle first aired in the 1990s and has been loved and loathed by listeners ever since.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
Rose has never penned an ad slogan or crafted a jingle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
The single opens with the sound of jingle bells being briskly rung.
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2025
"Here's the place to put a jingle in your pockets. Can't you turn cartwheels or something?"
From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman
In turn, an expanding roster of immersive, cinematic TV made the medium’s cheesy jingles and pandering copy look and sound discordant.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2026
On that LP, he explored the aesthetic surfaces of advertising, sampling fragments of jingles and other sonic detritus and arranging them into haunting new shapes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 18, 2025
At the time, Arias had already established herself as a formidable copywriter for ad agencies, translating jingles and songs in Spanish for companies like Alka-Seltzer, Campbell Soup, Ford Motor Co.,
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2025
The band eventually dissolved, and Colin moved to Singapore for a year to write jingles.
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024
The bell jingles and an elderly man walks through the door.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
Bells on their feet jingled as they moved in a circle.
From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2023
When toys failed to pacify her, I jingled my keys.
From New York Times ● Sep. 12, 2021
As an ice cream truck jingled up to the curb, Sonia Eaddy, the block party’s organizer, stepped up to the microphone.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 24, 2021
San Francisco International and Miami International Airports jingled with $52,558 and $47,694, respectively.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 23, 2020
He put his hands in his pockets and jingled his change.
From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo
Some walkers carried jingling shells to mark their previous participation in another very long walk: the Camino de Santiago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
The bowler must ask the striker if he or she is ready and then yell "play" as the jingling ball is delivered underarm with at least one bounce.
From Barron's ● Nov. 22, 2025
He would start to say a few words only to be interrupted by the sound of jingling bells.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2024
I had to go through a labyrinth of bolted doors to get to this kitchen - in the corners of the room, officers with jingling keys are looking on.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2024
A sound of jingling harness and the croak of heavy-laden axles sounded from outside.
From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
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.
