Meaning & use
jagged
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Having a rough edge or surface with sharp points sticking out.
Grammar: Can be used with 'more' or 'most' to compare, e.g. 'more jagged'.
Patterns
- jagged edge
- jagged rock
- jagged line
Be careful of the jagged edge of the broken glass.
The climbers struggled over the jagged rocks.
The coastline is jagged and full of small bays.
adjectivecomparablefigurative
Not smooth or regular; having sudden changes or breaks.
Grammar: Used figuratively for things like lines, patterns, or movements.
Patterns
- jagged line
- jagged movement
The graph showed a jagged line with many ups and downs.
His handwriting was jagged and hard to read.
Word forms
| comparative | more jagged |
|---|---|
| superlative | most jagged |
Common combinations
- jagged edge
- Mind the jagged edge of the metal sheet.
- jagged rocks
- The beach was covered in jagged rocks.
- jagged line
- Draw a jagged line to show the mountain range.
- jagged teeth
- The saw has jagged teeth for cutting wood.
Synonyms and how they differ
- serrated
- Serrated means having a saw-like edge with regular teeth, while jagged suggests irregular, rough points.
- uneven
- Uneven is more general and can describe surfaces or amounts; jagged specifically suggests sharp points.
- ragged
- Ragged often describes torn cloth or untidy edges, not necessarily sharp points.
Opposites
Word family
- jag noun
- A sharp, pointed part sticking out.
- jaggedly adverb
- In a way that has rough, sharp points.
Commonly confused: jagged or jaded?
jagged vs jaded
Jaded means tired and bored from too much of something; jagged means having sharp, uneven edges.
Practice
Choose the best word: The broken bottle had a ______ edge that could cut you.
Choose one answer.
'Jagged' describes a rough edge with sharp points, which fits a broken bottle. 'Jaded' means bored or tired, and 'jogged' and 'juggled' are verbs that don't describe edges.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jagged”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.