jarring

adjective

jar·​ring ˈjär-iŋ 

: having a harshly concussive, disagreeable, or discordant effect

a jarring tackle

It is not hard to imagine how the wounded will fare in a long jarring ride over rough roads …

—William Baxter

After watching the British reports, I found the American ones jarring.

—Michael Massing

There is not a single jarring note from the minute you enter this turn-of-the-century palazzo, lovingly restored to its glory days …

—Kati Marton

jarringly adverb

jarringly harsh language

a jarringly hard hit

… an aroma that I found jarringly distracting …

—Randal Caparoso

The book is his angry, raunchy, opinionated, sometimes moving, jarringly frank autobiography …

—Brad Darrach

Synonyms

• amazing
• astonishing
• astounding
• blindsiding
• dumbfounding
• dumfounding
• eye-opening
• flabbergasting
• jaw-dropping
• jolting
• shocking
• startling
• stunning
• stupefying
• surprising

Examples of jarring in a Sentence

the jarring news that major financial institutions were on the verge of collapse

the final chord of that song is too jarring for me

Recent Examples on the Web

In a childcare montage near the film’s beginning, for instance, Heller wanted to capture how jarring ordinary moments can be when you’re sleep-deprived and stuck with a toddler. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024

All the meticulous character development of Season 1 has gone out the window, and we’re left with rather jarring leaps instead. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

But the sudden thrust into the spotlight was jarring, especially considering Drew's background. —EW.com, 28 Nov. 2024

His fervor to determine who took the weapon reveals a shockingly monstrous side, turning his wife and children into frightened suspects and leading to a jarring tonal-shift ending that proves to be a cathartic, believable final destination for a film simmering with mistrust and anger. —Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above