English Reference

Word

jingle

Phoneticsjin·gle

US/ˈdʒɪŋɡəɫ/

UK/dʒˈɪŋɡəl/

Definition

n. a short, catchy tune or song used in a commercial to help you remember a product. It is designed to stay in your head so you think of the brand later.

n. a short, rhythmic, and easily remembered musical phrase or song used in advertising. Often employs simple rhymes and repetitive melodies to enhance brand recall.

Examples

“The company's new jingle is very catchy.”

“The marketing team spent weeks developing a three-second jingle that would be instantly recognizable on both radio and television.”

“While visual branding is essential, a well-crafted jingle can create a powerful auditory association that persists in the consumer's memory long after the advertisement has ended.”

Examples

simple

“The company's new jingle is very catchy.”

contextual

“The marketing team spent weeks developing a three-second jingle that would be instantly recognizable on both radio and television.”

complex

“While visual branding is essential, a well-crafted jingle can create a powerful auditory association that persists in the consumer's memory long after the advertisement has ended.”

Usage

Commonly used in the context of marketing and broadcast media.

Real-World Examples

“Stewart said that in the Sunday school minibus that would pick them up, Arday would entertain his peers by singing the jingle from the 90s advert for Baby All Gone dolls.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

The verb, which is older than the noun, is from Middle English gyngle. Onomatopoeic; compare jangle.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms

whips and jingles — A state of torturous delirium, particularly delirium tremens.

Domains

AdvertisingMusicTelevision

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference