jangle

1 of 2

verb

jan·​gle ˈjaŋ-gəl 

jangled; jangling ˈjaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to make a harsh or discordant often ringing sound

keys jangling in my pocket

2

: to quarrel verbally

3

: to talk idly

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to sound harshly or inharmoniously

b

: to excite to tense irritation

jangled nerves

2

: to utter or sound in a discordant, babbling, or chattering way

jangler

ˈjaŋ-g(ə-)lər 

noun

jangle

2 of 2

noun

1

: a discordant often ringing sound

the jangle of spurs

2

: noisy quarreling

3

: idle talk

Synonyms

Noun

• backchat
• cackle
• causerie
• chat
• chatter
• chin music
• chin-wag [slang]
• chitchat
• confab
• confabulation
• gab
• gabfest
• gossip
• jaw
• natter [chiefly British]
• palaver
• patter
• rap
• schmooze
• small talk
• table talk
• talk
• tête-à-tête

Examples of jangle in a Sentence

Verb

Coins jangled out of the machine.

He jangled his keys loudly outside the door.

Noun

the hall was abuzz with the usual preconvention jangle

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Plucked from her Alaskan habitat by the unscrupulous jocks of the McCain campaign, small-town Sarah struggles in the jangling world of prime time. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2024

Cabello would have fit right in on the Rabanne spring 2025 runway, where dresses jingled and jangled down the catwalk, including one that scattered flakes of gold leaf as the model moved. —Violet Goldstone, WWD, 26 Sep. 2024

Noun

These are recipes where modernity jangles with the delicious rhythms of the past. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 27 Sep. 2024

The Lemonheads are an apt comparison—there’s a lot of that grungy 90’s jangle in the Tossing Seed sound. —Keegan Bradford, SPIN, 25 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French jangler, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch jangelen to grumble

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing jangle

• jangle someone's nerves

Kids Definition

jangle

verb

jan·​gle

ˈjaŋ-gəl

jangled; jangling

-g(ə-)liŋ

1

: to make or cause to make a harsh ringing sound

2

: to excite to tense irritation

jangled nerves

jangle noun