JAR Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

jar 1 of 2

noun

Definition of jar

as in collision

a forceful coming together of two things this padded case should protect your laptop from the jars normally experienced while traveling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in surprise

something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected the flow of her day was interrupted with the jar of an unexpected crisis

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in scratch

a harsh grating sound the jar of a stuck car door

Synonyms & Similar Words

jar

2 of 2

verb

as in to bicker

to express different opinions about something often angrily those two coworkers have such incompatible personalities that it's no wonder they constantly jar

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to conflict

to be out of harmony or agreement usually noticeably the bright orange of the walls jars with the light pastels of the furnishings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of jar

Noun

Not everything in the jar is as mysterious as MRA-3 and Miracle Broth, though. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026 Canned seafood comes in cans, pouches and glass jars, but Dudash says the packaging itself doesn’t appear to make a meaningful difference nutritionally. — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 5 Oct. 2026

Verb

This puzzle is stuffed with nuance, pleasing crosses and a lot of simply terrific, ridiculously evocative stuff — for example, a jarring assortment of lovely trivia intersecting with some hideous ailments at more than one juncture. — Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 But someone needs to jar Bell's memory and adjust his grasp of facts to get him off this race-baiting narrative. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jar

Noun

Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez was taken to the hospital with a head injury after receiving about 10 minutes of treatment following a nasty-looking collision while playing for Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Also, passenger road vehicles use safety features like steel bumpers and crumple zones to absorb impact forces during collisions.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of collision

Noun

From a computational perspective, Friston argues, attempting to reduce uncertainty—basically, working to avoid unpleasant surprises—is the brain’s primary goal.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Students had a surprise visitor — Kendall Jenner, who popped in to their classroom, looking way collegiate in an all-white outfit and sweater around her neck.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprise

Verb

The two of them together, just 17 months apart, shared playlists, bickered over where to stop during Apple CarPlay calls, pulled up beside me and faded away with silly faces, encapsulating 20 years of my life in my rearview mirror.

— Robert Duffer, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of bicker

Verb

Separate challenges to the law divided two federal circuit courts, which issued conflicting decisions in April, only 11 days apart.

— Michael Kunzelman, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Competing theories and conflicting evidence point to two possibilities for how Mars got its moons.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of conflict

Noun

While Pope Leo's lung cancer diagnosis may have come as a shock to Catholics this week, the prognosis is likely a lot less scary.

— Scott Detrow, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026
The initial shock of this freak accident is well-handled, notably when Jay tries to scramble up the whale’s jawline by climbing its teeth.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of shock

Noun

The Missouri researcher has captured and analyzed hundreds of thousands of trail-camera images over the years, with many of the best shots coming at scrapes doctored with a variety of scents and lures.

— Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
Memory is not so much a flow, sometimes, as a series of bumps and scrapes.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrape

Browse Nearby Words

japing

jar

jargon

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Jar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jar. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of jar

noun

verb

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