Word
jarring
Phoneticsjar·ring, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɑɹɪŋ/
UK/dʒˈɑːɹɪŋ/
Definition
adj. feeling or looking very different from everything else in a way that is unpleasant or shocking. You use it when something does not fit in and makes you feel uncomfortable.
adj. clashing or incongruous in a manner that causes a physical or emotional shock. Often used to describe sounds, colors, or transitions that are unpleasantly inconsistent with their surroundings.
Examples
“The bright yellow wall is jarring in this dark room.”
“The sudden shift from a quiet piano solo to loud heavy metal was jarring for the audience.”
“The architect's decision to place a glass skyscraper next to the medieval cathedral created a jarring contrast that sparked intense debate among the local preservationists.”
Examples
simple
“The bright yellow wall is jarring in this dark room.”
contextual
“The sudden shift from a quiet piano solo to loud heavy metal was jarring for the audience.”
complex
“The architect's decision to place a glass skyscraper next to the medieval cathedral created a jarring contrast that sparked intense debate among the local preservationists.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'seem', or attributively before a noun.
Etymology
From jar (“to clash, conflict, disturb”) + -ing.
From jar + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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