jagged

1 of 3

adjective

jag·​ged ˈja-gəd How to pronounce jagged (audio)
Synonyms of jagged
1
: having a sharply uneven edge or surface
jagged peaks
2
: having a harsh, rough, or irregular quality
jagged rhythms
jaggedly adverb
jaggedness noun

jagged

2 of 3

past tense and past participle of jag entry 3

jaggedness

3 of 3

noun

jag·​ged·​ness
-gə̇dnə̇s
plural -es
: the quality or state of being jagged

Synonyms of jagged

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of jagged in a Sentence

Adjective jagged pieces of broken glass it's going to be hard to repair the jagged tear in the tablecloth so that it doesn't show
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
The spelunking bass lines recalled Joy Division and New Order, the jagged guitars evoked the Fall. — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 Past albums have varied between melodic indie rock, jagged art rock, and even flirtations with hardcore. — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026 As with their other current CBS hit Elsbeth — and unlike their more creatively unconventional streaming shows The Good Fight and Evil — Cupertino sands down some of the Kings’ jagged edges, aiming for something cuter. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Haloed in distorted guitar and jagged synths, Wolf comes off as a champion of her own avoidance, her heroism charmingly pathetic. — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jagged

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jagged was in 1523

Rhymes for jagged

See All Rhymes for jagged

Browse Nearby Words

jaggar
jagged
jagged chickweed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jagged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jagged. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

jagged

adjective
jag·​ged ˈjag-əd How to pronounce jagged (audio)
: having a sharp uneven edge or surface
jagged mountains
jaggedly adverb
jaggedness noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All