jarring

American  

[jahr-ing] / ˈdʒɑr ɪŋ /

adjective

1. having a harshly unpleasant or disturbing effect on one’s nerves, feelings, thoughts, etc..

   The news of my cancer diagnosis was both jarring and devastating.

2. (of sounds) producing a harshly unpleasant effect; discordant.

   I’d much rather wake up to a gentle vibration than to the jarring sound of my phone alarm.

3. conflicting, clashing, or disagreeing.

   There is a jarring contrast between the trees and open space of the peaceful park and its hostile border of gray concrete warehouses and parking garages.

4. vibrating or shaking; characterized by sudden, jerky movements.

   There was enough rock on that trail to make for a jarring ride on a bike with narrow wheels and no suspension.

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noun

1. the act, state, or effect of clashing or conflicting.

   Paradoxically, the jarring of an encounter with the arts in the middle of outdoor urban space creates a connection between them.

2. the act of shaking or the state of being shaken; sudden, jerky movement.

   The seats had no padding and I felt bruises forming from the jarring of the truck.

3. the act of disturbing a person by harsh, discordant sound or by something unsettling, unexpected, or unpleasant.

   For UK readers, using the British text edition makes for a comfortable read without the jarring of unfamiliar spelling or phrasing.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unjarring
  adjective
• jarringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of jarring

First recorded in 1550–60; jar ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; jar ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Explanation

A loud, abrupt, shocking noise is jarring. If the sound of your telephone ringing is jarring, it will make you jump. The jarring noise of the garbage truck screeching to a stop in front of your house might make your dog bark furiously, and a sudden jarring sound from your car's engine means you should probably pull off of the highway to find out what's wrong. Other things that shock or disturb you are also jarring. The word comes from the verb jar, "to disturb, perturb, or produce a harsh sound."

Example Sentences

But jarring tensions are emerging in the run-up to UFC Freedom 250, the event being held in a specially built arena erected over the White House's elegant South Lawn.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

For many Chavistas, the symbolism has been just as jarring as the policy changes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Misbah Rashad, 30, an epidemiologist who attends the mosque daily, said it has been jarring to see a place so core to her and to her community on the news.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

For Banerjee personally, the adjustment may be jarring after decades at the centre of power.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

The ringing phone cut through the house, jarring him awake.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• bumpy
• crushing
• disconcerting
• unsettling