To jangle means to make a harsh, clashing metallic sound, like keys rattling in your pocket or coins shaking in a jar. When things jangle, they produce a sharp, discordant noise that can set your teeth on edge. A keychain jangles as you walk. Old-fashioned jailers in movies carry rings of keys that jangle ominously as they approach.

The word also describes irritating or nerve-wracking sounds more generally. Someone might say their alarm clock jangles them awake, or that construction noise outside jangles their nerves during a test. In this sense, jangling suggests something that disturbs your peace or concentration.

Jangling is different from ringing or chiming, which sound pleasant and musical. Compare the smooth sound of a church bell to the jangling of a handful of metal scraps: one is harmonious, the other is harsh and jarring. When your nerves feel jangled, you're frazzled and on edge, as if something has shaken you up like those coins rattling around in a jar.