jazz
21 synonyms for jazz, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A musical style rooted in African American tradition, marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A musical style rooted in African American tradition, marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms.
“My uncle plays the saxophone in a small jazz band.”
How to use jazz
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
jazz up
jazz music
jazz club
all that jazz
Etymology
Origin unknown — first recorded around 1912 in baseball slang before it was applied to music a few years later.
Full origin of jazz →Frequently asked questions
What does “jazz” mean?
The word “jazz” means a musical style rooted in African American tradition, marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms. In plain terms, the music genre, or informally, any flashy extra energy added to something.
How do you pronounce “jazz”?
“Jazz” is pronounced jaz (/d͡ʒæz/ in IPA).
How do you use “jazz” in a sentence?
Here is “jazz” used in a sentence: “They spent the evening listening to live jazz in a smoky club.”
What is another word for “jazz”?
Words with a similar meaning to “jazz” include ravage, jam, vitalise, confuscate, turn tricks and bug.
What part of speech is “jazz”?
Depending on how it is used, “jazz” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “jazz” come from?
The word “jazz” dates back to around 1912. Origin unknown — first recorded around 1912 in baseball slang before it was applied to music a few years later.
Is “jazz” a common word?
“Jazz” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “jazz” have?
“Jazz” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a musical style rooted in African American tradition, marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms.
What is the difference between 'jazz' and 'blues'?
Both grew from African American musical traditions, but jazz is marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms across many styles. Blues is typically built on a specific chord pattern and expressive, often melancholy vocals, and it strongly influenced early jazz.
