JARRING Definition & Meaning

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jarring

[ jahr-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

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.
(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.
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.
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.

noun

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.
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.
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.

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

�Ჹ��·��Բ�·�� adverb
�ܲ�·�Ჹ��·��Բ� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of jarring¹

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The initially jarring juxtaposition of then and now — fiction and documentary — quickly becomes intoxicating, inviting the viewer to both contemplate the ceaseless passage of time and ponder the seamless temporal transitions.

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It’s jarring to realize this will be his 15th season and that he’ll turn 34 in August.

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They get shoved into paper fast-food bags, drowned in sausage gravy and yanked from refrigerated tubes with a jarring pop.

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His abrupt departure marked a jarring coda to the department career of a decorated officer once regarded as a potential replacement for former chief Michel Moore.

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At the end of the trip, “the ride suddenly, abruptly, and violently jolted to a halt, jarring Decedent Christopher Hawley and the other two boys in their seats.”

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