jagged
Americanadjective
-
having ragged notches, points, or teeth; zigzag.
the jagged edge of a saw; a jagged wound.
-
having a harsh, rough, or uneven quality.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of jagged
Explanation
Something is jagged when it has an uneven edge or quality to it. Teeth can be jagged, saw blades can be jagged, and the edges of leaves can be jagged. Jagged comes from 16th century English/Scottish and originally referred to a cloth, cut in a way so that the edge is not straight, but that is “toothed.” Imagine a tipsy seamstress trying to cut cloth in a straight line, but her sheers stray this way then that. She’s leaving a jagged edge on the cloth. Or perhaps you have a crush on the seamstress, but she is seen kissing another. Here, she’s leaving a jagged wound on your heart.
Vocabulary lists containing jagged
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Long Way Down
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Holes
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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.
McElwee stitches together the past and present to find new meaning in their seams, a jagged line that runs through time and points toward the future.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Just civilian volunteers burrowing through the jagged piles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
A small, goggle-eyed creature with pointy ears and a mouthful of jagged teeth has somehow become one of the defining consumer products this decade.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
The jagged course of the Dormition Cathedral’s own history tracks Ukraine’s brutal fight for independence since it was first built nearly 1,000 years ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
The front shows a tropical waterfall with bright turquoise water crashing over jagged rocks.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
