Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense jangles, present participle jangling, past tense, past participle jangled
1. verb
When objects strike against each other and make an unpleasant ringing noise, you can say that they jangle or are jangled.
Her bead necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked. [VERB]
Jane took out her keys and jangled them. [VERB noun]
...her jangling bracelets. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: rattle, ring, clash, clatter More Synonyms of jangle
Jangle is also a noun.
...a jangle of bells.
2. verb
If your nerves are jangling or if something jangles them, you are very anxious.
Behind that quietness his nerves are jangling, he's in a terrible state. [VERB]
The caffeine in coffee can jangle the nerves. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: disturb, worry, trouble, excite More Synonyms of jangle
More Synonyms of jangle
jangle in British English
(ˈdʒæŋɡəl)
verb
1.
to sound or cause to sound discordantly, harshly, or unpleasantly
the telephone jangled
2. (transitive)
to produce a jarring effect on
the accident jangled his nerves
3. an archaic word for wrangle
noun
4.
a harsh, unpleasant ringing noise
5.
an argument or quarrel
Derived forms
jangler (ˈjangler)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French jangler, of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch jangelen to whine, complain
jangle in American English
(ˈdʒæŋgəl)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈjangled or ˈjangling
1.
to quarrel or argue noisily
2.
to make a harsh, inharmonious sound, as of a bell out of tune
verb transitive
3.
to utter in a harsh, inharmonious manner
4.
to cause to make a harsh sound
5.
to irritate very much
to jangle someone's nerves
noun
6.
noisy or annoying talk
7.
noisy quarrel or arguing
8.
a harsh sound; discordant ringing
Derived forms
jangler (ˈjangler)
noun
Word origin
ME janglen < OFr jangler, to jangle, prattle, prob. < Frank *jangelon, to jeer
Examples of 'jangle' in a sentence
jangle
Instead he handed me a jangling set of keys.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Summer is approaching and nerves are jangling.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Some of the acting from lesser characters is poor but the end is nerve jangling.
The Sun (2009)
Instead, it fits the bill as a classic festive thriller capable of jangling the nerves.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Be still, our jangling nerves.
The Sun (2010)
In this first episode, nerves are jangling as one woman tries to open a tin with a carving knife and rolling pin.
The Sun (2009)
We were back to all the trauma and jangling nerves of Old Trafford the night before.
The Sun (2008)
She said: 'My nerves were jangling.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The messenger's purposeful tread down the short avenue followed; then the noisy jangling of the bell.
Smout, T.C. & Wood, Sydney Scottish Voices 1745-1960 (1990)
We are so close now and it means so much for the country... My nerves are jangling already.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
With nerves jangling, the Australian again found himself vulnerable at the net as he crashed a backhand volley into the cord to present three set points.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
jangle
British English: jangle VERB
When objects strike against each other and make a ringing noise, you can say that they jangle or are jangled.
Her bead necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked.
American English: jangle
Brazilian Portuguese: soar estridentemente
Chinese: 发出叮当声
European Spanish: sonar
French: cliqueter
German: klimpern
Italian: tintinnare
Japanese: ジャラジャラと鳴る/ジャラジャラと鳴らす
Korean: 쨍그랑거리다
European Portuguese: soar estridentemente
Latin American Spanish: sonar
1 (verb)
Definition
to make a harsh unpleasant ringing noise
Her necklaces and bracelets jangled as she walked.
Synonyms
rattle
She slams the kitchen door so hard I hear dishes rattle.
ring
clash
The golden bangles on her arms clashed and jangled.
clatter
chime
ping
vibrate
jingle
Her bracelets jingled like bells.
ding
clank
2 (verb)
Definition
to produce an irritating or unpleasant effect on
The caffeine in coffee can jangle the nerves.
Synonyms
disturb
He had been disturbed by the news of the attack.
worry
‘Why didn't you tell us?’ – ‘Didn't want to worry you.’
trouble
Is anything troubling you?
excite
upset
She warned me not to say anything to upset him.
alarm
distress
I did not want to frighten or distress her.
annoy
Try making a note of the things that annoy you.
distract
Another story of hers distracts me.
unsettle
The presence of the two police officers unsettled her.
harass
a celebrity routinely harassed by the paparazzi
hassle (informal)
agitate
The thought of them inheriting all these things agitated her.
ruffle
My refusal to let him ruffle me infuriated him.
confound
shake
The news of his escape had shaken them all.
unnerve
The news about Dermot had unnerved me.
fluster
She was calm. Nothing could fluster her.
perturb
He didn't seem to be perturbed by the news.
discompose
(noun)
a jangle of bells
Synonyms
clash
clang
He pulled the gates shut with a clang.
cacophony
The whole place erupted in a cacophony of sound.
reverberation
rattle
jar
racket
din
They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.
dissonance
a jumble of silence and dissonance
clangour
Opposites
quiet
,
silence
,
mellifluousness
,
harmoniousness
Additional synonyms
in the sense of agitate
Definition
to excite, disturb, or trouble
The thought of them inheriting all these things agitated her.
Synonyms
upset,
worry,
trouble,
disturb,
excite,
alarm,
stimulate,
distract,
rouse,
ruffle,
inflame,
incite,
unnerve,
disconcert,
disquiet,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
work someone up,
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
arouse,
ferment
in the sense of annoy
Definition
to irritate or displease
Try making a note of the things that annoy you.
Synonyms
irritate,
trouble,
bore,
anger,
harry,
bother,
disturb,
provoke,
get (informal),
bug (informal),
needle (informal),
plague,
tease,
harass,
hassle (informal),
aggravate (informal),
badger,
gall,
madden,
ruffle,
exasperate,
nettle,
molest,
pester,
vex,
displease,
irk,
bedevil,
rile,
peeve,
get under your skin (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
get up your nose (informal),
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
make your blood boil,
piss you off (taboo, slang),
rub someone up the wrong way (informal),
get your goat (slang),
get in your hair (informal),
get on your wick (British, slang),
get your dander up (informal),
get your back up,
incommode (formal),
put your back up,
hack you off (informal),
be on your back (slang)
in the sense of cacophony
Definition
harsh discordant sound
The whole place erupted in a cacophony of sound.
Synonyms
discord,
racket,
din,
dissonance,
disharmony,
stridency
Nearby words of
jangle
jam-packed
jamboree
jammy
jangle
janitor
Japanese
jar
Synonyms of 'jangle'
jangle
Explore 'jangle' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of clang
Definition
a ringing metallic noise
He pulled the gates shut with a clang.
Synonyms
ringing,
clash,
jangle,
knell,
clank,
reverberation,
ding-dong,
clangour
in the sense of din
Definition
a loud unpleasant confused noise
They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.
Synonyms
noise,
row,
racket,
crash,
clash,
shout,
outcry,
clamour,
clatter,
uproar,
commotion,
pandemonium,
babel,
hubbub,
hullabaloo,
clangour
in the sense of discompose
Definition
to disturb or upset someone
Synonyms
disturb,
worry,
upset,
confuse,
embarrass,
provoke,
annoy,
rattle (informal),
irritate,
unsettle,
bewilder,
hassle (informal),
flurry,
fret,
agitate,
ruffle,
perplex,
unnerve,
disconcert,
nettle,
vex,
displease,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
discomfit
in the sense of dissonance
Definition
a lack of agreement or harmony between things
a jumble of silence and dissonance
Synonyms
discordance,
discord,
jangle,
cacophony,
jarring,
harshness,
lack of harmony,
unmelodiousness
in the sense of distract
Another story of hers distracts me.
Synonyms
agitate,
trouble,
disturb,
confuse,
puzzle,
torment,
bewilder,
madden,
confound,
perplex,
disconcert,
derange,
discompose
in the sense of distress
Definition
to upset badly
I did not want to frighten or distress her.
Synonyms
upset,
worry,
trouble,
pain,
wound,
bother,
disturb,
dismay,
grieve,
torment,
harass,
afflict,
harrow,
agitate,
sadden,
perplex,
disconcert,
agonize,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
throw (someone) off balance
in the sense of fluster
Definition
to make or become nervous or upset
She was calm. Nothing could fluster her.
Synonyms
upset,
bother,
disturb,
ruffle,
heat,
excite,
confuse,
hurry,
rattle (informal),
bustle,
hassle (informal),
flurry,
agitate,
confound,
unnerve,
perturb,
throw off balance,
make nervous
in the sense of harass
Definition
to trouble or annoy (someone) by repeated attacks, questions, or problems
a celebrity routinely harassed by the paparazzi
Synonyms
annoy,
trouble,
bother,
worry,
harry,
disturb,
devil (informal),
plague,
bait,
hound,
torment,
hassle (informal),
badger,
persecute,
exasperate,
pester,
vex,
breathe down someone's neck,
chivvy (British),
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
be on your back (slang),
beleaguer
in the sense of jingle
Definition
to make a light ringing sound
Her bracelets jingled like bells.
Synonyms
ring,
rattle,
clatter,
chime,
jangle,
tinkle,
clink,
clank,
tintinnabulate
in the sense of perturb
Definition
to disturb the composure of
He didn't seem to be perturbed by the news.
Synonyms
disturb,
worry,
trouble,
upset,
alarm,
bother,
unsettle,
agitate,
ruffle,
unnerve,
disconcert,
disquiet,
vex,
fluster,
faze,
discountenance,
discompose
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ruffle
Definition
to annoy or irritate
My refusal to let him ruffle me infuriated him.
Synonyms
annoy,
worry,
trouble,
upset,
confuse,
stir,
disturb,
rattle (informal),
irritate,
put out,
unsettle,
shake up (informal),
harass,
hassle (informal),
agitate,
unnerve,
disconcert,
disquiet,
nettle,
vex,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
peeve (informal),
hack off (informal)
in the sense of shake
Definition
to shock, disturb, or upset
The news of his escape had shaken them all.
Synonyms
upset,
shock,
frighten,
disturb,
distress,
move,
rattle (informal),
intimidate,
unnerve,
discompose,
traumatize
in the sense of trouble
Definition
to cause trouble to
Is anything troubling you?
Synonyms
bother,
worry,
upset,
disturb,
distress,
annoy,
plague,
grieve,
torment,
harass,
hassle (informal),
afflict,
pain,
fret,
agitate,
sadden,
perplex,
disconcert,
disquiet,
pester,
vex,
perturb,
faze,
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
discompose,
put or get someone's back up,
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of unnerve
Definition
to cause to lose courage, confidence, or self-control
The news about Dermot had unnerved me.
Synonyms
shake,
upset,
disconcert,
disturb,
intimidate,
frighten,
rattle (informal),
discourage,
dismay,
daunt,
disarm,
confound,
fluster,
faze,
unman,
demoralize,
unhinge,
psych out (informal),
throw off balance,
dishearten,
dispirit
in the sense of unsettle
Definition
to confuse or agitate a person or the mind
The presence of the two police officers unsettled her.
Synonyms
disturb,
trouble,
upset,
throw (informal),
bother,
confuse,
disorder,
rattle (informal),
agitate,
ruffle,
unnerve,
disconcert,
unbalance,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
throw into confusion,
throw off balance,
discompose,
throw into disorder,
throw into uproar
in the sense of upset
Definition
to disturb mentally or emotionally
She warned me not to say anything to upset him.
Synonyms
distress,
trouble,
disturb,
worry,
alarm,
bother,
dismay,
grieve,
hassle (informal),
agitate,
ruffle,
unnerve,
disconcert,
disquiet,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
throw someone off balance,
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
discompose
in the sense of worry
Definition
to annoy or bother
‘Why didn't you tell us?’ – ‘Didn't want to worry you.’