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

• jarringly adverb
• unjarring adjective

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

Example Sentences

The juxtaposition is jarring -- and entirely normal here.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

For global companies that once relied on China as a bottomless demand engine, the shift has been jarring.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

The soothing hum of the venue’s air conditioning helped mute the jarring sound of missile interceptions, keeping the naturally reactive animals calm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

After hearing the latest game would try to combine the two, some fans were left fearing it would feel too "jarring".

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

The phone rang then, loud and jarring, unlike the muted purr of ours back home.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• bumpy
• crushing
• disconcerting
• unsettling