jangle
1 of 2verb
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 2noun
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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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
Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 The days of hitting three cherries as machines jingle and jangle while spitting out a mountain of quarters are long gone. Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Like several other Indian genres, Kathak employs anklets bearing dozens of tiny bells that jangle with the steps of bare feet; the meters sounded by Mr. Maharaj’s anklets were often astounding. New York Times, 2 Feb. 2022 Nerves seemed to jangle several top competitors, and clean landings were hard to find. John Branch, New York Times, 25 July 2021 Announcing a timetable for dialing back bond buying would likely spook markets — but not addressing inflation at all could also jangle nerves on Wall Street. NBC News, 16 June 2021 The five-toned chimes would bang out quick arpeggios or jangle together in messy chords. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2021 With four decades of down-and-out and so-it-goes jangle behind him, the Book of Bruce — part near-biblical tract, part noir novella — is as good as national scripture, and its author sacred as our bard in jeans. Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020 The readings will jangle nerves at the European Central Bank and add fuel to the argument for more stimulus. Alexander Weber, Bloomberg.com, 2 Oct. 2020 Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 16 May 2022 Trumpets blare at the voice-cracking top of their register over a cool upright bass line and the incongruous junkyard jangle of toy piano. Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2022 The jangle of references is a bit disconcerting — what are Sleeping Beauty’s companions doing on an antebellum plantation in northern New Jersey? Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 June 2021 Without Keuning’s jangle and riff shards, The Killers have a more poppy sound. Mark Kennedy, chicagotribune.com, 18 Aug. 2020 Without Keuning's jangle and riff shards, The Killers have a more poppy sound. Mark Kennedy, Star Tribune, 18 Aug. 2020 Also crucial is Murphy's particular knack for using music and color to convey the hothouse longings of her characters; heady metaphors served in the atonal jangle of post punk or the throbbing kaleidoscope of strobe lights at a house party. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 17 June 2020 The return of the character was teased in the first season of the Star Wars drama series, when a pair of black boots with a familiar-sounding jangle entered the frame at the end of one episode. James Hibberd, EW.com, 8 May 2020 The singer-guitarist also channels some of the anthemic jangle of Tom Petty and the working-class themes of Bruce Springsteen. Kevin Williams, chicagotribune.com, 3 Aug. 2019 See More
Verb
All these competing elements pleasantly jangle the brain and set the mood for the evening ahead. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 The days of hitting three cherries as machines jingle and jangle while spitting out a mountain of quarters are long gone. Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Like several other Indian genres, Kathak employs anklets bearing dozens of tiny bells that jangle with the steps of bare feet; the meters sounded by Mr. Maharaj’s anklets were often astounding. New York Times, 2 Feb. 2022 Nerves seemed to jangle several top competitors, and clean landings were hard to find. John Branch, New York Times, 25 July 2021 Announcing a timetable for dialing back bond buying would likely spook markets — but not addressing inflation at all could also jangle nerves on Wall Street. NBC News, 16 June 2021 The five-toned chimes would bang out quick arpeggios or jangle together in messy chords. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2021 With four decades of down-and-out and so-it-goes jangle behind him, the Book of Bruce — part near-biblical tract, part noir novella — is as good as national scripture, and its author sacred as our bard in jeans. Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020 The readings will jangle nerves at the European Central Bank and add fuel to the argument for more stimulus. Alexander Weber, Bloomberg.com, 2 Oct. 2020 Noun
The Birmingham native’s band Waxahatchee did a strong set of Instagram jangle at Orion. Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 16 May 2022 Trumpets blare at the voice-cracking top of their register over a cool upright bass line and the incongruous junkyard jangle of toy piano. Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2022 The jangle of references is a bit disconcerting — what are Sleeping Beauty’s companions doing on an antebellum plantation in northern New Jersey? Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 June 2021 Without Keuning’s jangle and riff shards, The Killers have a more poppy sound. Mark Kennedy, chicagotribune.com, 18 Aug. 2020 Without Keuning's jangle and riff shards, The Killers have a more poppy sound. Mark Kennedy, Star Tribune, 18 Aug. 2020 Also crucial is Murphy's particular knack for using music and color to convey the hothouse longings of her characters; heady metaphors served in the atonal jangle of post punk or the throbbing kaleidoscope of strobe lights at a house party. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 17 June 2020 The return of the character was teased in the first season of the Star Wars drama series, when a pair of black boots with a familiar-sounding jangle entered the frame at the end of one episode. James Hibberd, EW.com, 8 May 2020 The singer-guitarist also channels some of the anthemic jangle of Tom Petty and the working-class themes of Bruce Springsteen. Kevin Williams, chicagotribune.com, 3 Aug. 2019 See More 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
Kids Definition
jangle 1 of 2
verb
jan·gle ˈjaŋ-gəl
jangled; jangling
: to make or cause to make a sound like the harsh ringing of a bell
He jangled his keys.
jangle
2 of 2noun
: a harsh often ringing sound
jangle 1 of 2
noun
as in chatter
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this the hall was abuzz with the usual preconvention jangle Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- chatter
- chat
- talk
- jaw
- patter
- gab
- cackle
- chitchat
- causerie
- palaver
- small talk
- gabfest
- gossip
- natter
- chin-wag
- schmooze
- chin music
- table talk
- confabulation
- confab
- rap
- backchat
- dialogue
- discourse
- tête-à-tête
- conference
- parley
- debate
- exchange
- yammer
- yak
- symposium
- yap
- colloquy
- dialog
- crosstalk
- yack
- happy talk
- give-and-take
jangle
2 of 2verb
1
as in to jingle
Synonyms & Similar Words
- jingle
- clang
- tinkle
- clank
- tingle
- clink
- tang
- ping
- gong
- clash
- plunk
- peal
- ding
- chink
- plink
- plonk
- ring
- ding-dong
- knell
- toll
- bong
- reverberate
- chime
- resonate
- echo
- resound
2
as in to patter
Synonyms & Similar Words
- patter
- rattle
- prate
- jaw
- blither
- bleat
- blather
- gab
- gibber
- yak
- smatter
- blabber
- yack
- chatter
- prattle
- babble
- gabble
- jabber
- mumble
- troll
- tittle-tattle
- sputter
- murmur
- run on
- chunter
- bumble
- mouth
- chat
- screech
- drivel
- mutter
- shriek
- maunder
- stutter
- stammer
- drool
- shout
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- articulate
- pronounce
- enunciate