ajar
1 Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ajar1
1350–1400; Middle English on char on the turn; see a- 1, char 3
Origin of ajar2
1545–55; for at jar at discord; cf. jar 3 (noun)
Explanation
The adjective ajar describes something that is slightly open. A door that has been left ajar is easily pushed open by the wind or a nosy person. To correctly pronounce ajar, say "uh-JAR." People in a hurry leave drawers and cabinet doors ajar, or hanging open. If a chime starts ringing when you start a car, a door or the trunk may be ajar. Check that everything is securely closed before taking off. But don't describe a mouth that is open in surprise as ajar. A better word choice is agape.
Vocabulary lists containing ajar
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Six
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Chains
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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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.
One Vietnamese shop owner in the Mitte district near the former Berlin Wall rolls down his shutter but leaves his door ajar for locals, who know to sneak in for milk and vegetables.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Staying at welterweight may keep the door ajar for a trilogy with McGregor but he remains untested in the division and would need to jump over more hurdles to get close to the title conversation.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Victory would have lifted West Ham five points clear of the bottom three, but instead they have left the door ajar for Tottenham to leapfrog them with victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
A defeat would leave the door ajar for Pakistan to beat eliminated Sri Lanka on Saturday with the second semi-final berth then being decided on net run rate.
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
There were no clothes in the wardrobe, whose doors stood ajar.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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.
