What does "jingle" mean?
The sound of metal or glass clattering against itself.
Jingle
/ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡl̩/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The sound of metal or glass clattering against itself.
- Grammar: jingle is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: accent, accentuation, advertising jingle, advertising tune.
- Useful contrasts: deaden, discard, ignore.
- Usage evidence: "Jingle Bells," a popular song around Christmas time, is not really a Christmas song. The lyrics say nothing about Christmas.
How to use "jingle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "jingle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "jingle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "jingle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "jingle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "jingle" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accent" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "jingle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The sound of metal or glass clattering against itself.
"He heard the jingle of her keys in the door and turned off the screen."
- 2 a comic verse of irregular measure wordnet
- 3 A small piece of metal attached to a musical instrument, such as a tambourine, so as to make a jangling sound when the instrument is played.
"Her tambourine didn't come with any jingles attached."
- 4 a metallic sound wordnet
- 5 A memorable short song, or in some cases a snippet of a popular song with its lyrics modified, used for the purposes of advertising a product or service in a TV or radio commercial.
"That used-car dealership's jingle has been stuck in my head since we heard that song."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A carriage drawn by horses.
"They drove in a jingle across Cork while it was still early morning and Stephen finished his sleep in a bedroom of the Victoria Hotel."
- 7 A brief telephone call. slang
"Give me a jingle when you find out something."
- 8 A jingle shell.
- 9 Coin money. slang, uncountable
"If all you folks who donate your hard-earned jingle to PETA aren't convinced of your ill-advised ways yet, you should probably check this out."
- 10 Pee, urine. Philippines, colloquial
Verb
- 1 To make a noise of metal or glass clattering against itself. intransitive
"The beads jingled as she walked."
- 2 make a sound typical of metallic objects wordnet
- 3 To cause to make a noise of metal or glass clattering against itself. transitive
"She jingled the beads as she walked."
- 4 To rhyme or sound with a jingling effect. dated, intransitive
"jingling street ballads"
- 5 To pee, to urinate. Philippines, colloquial
Proper Noun
- 1 A county of Xinzhou, Shanxi, China.
"Kao Wen-huan, a member of the Chinglo county CCP core group and commanding general of the Chinglo county revolutionary rebellion general command (former magistrate of Chinglo country), also highly praised representatives of mass organizations he had worked with in the revolutionary "three-way alliance" provisional organ of power for their class awareness and their indomitable revolutionary spirit."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
""Jingle Bells," a popular song around Christmas time, is not really a Christmas song. The lyrics say nothing about Christmas."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "jingle"?
Common synonyms include: accent, accentuation, advertising jingle, advertising tune, alba, alexandrine.
How do you use "jingle" in a sentence?
"Jingle Bells," a popular song around Christmas time, is not really a Christmas song. The lyrics say nothing about Christmas.
How do you pronounce "jingle"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡl̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The verb, which is older than the noun, is from Middle English gyngle. Onomatopoeic; compare jangle.
Etymology 2
From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin Chinese pronunciation for 靜樂／静乐.