A compilation of English words starting with J you should know

J words in English

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example

Jacket

/ˈdʒækɪt/

A short coat, usually with sleeves, worn over the upper body

David bought a new jacket.

Jar

/dʒɑːr/

A round glass container with a wide opening and a lid, used for storing food

The jam is stored in a glass jar.

Jewel

/ˈdʒuːəl/

A precious stone, especially when it is cut and polished

She wore a jewel-studded necklace.

Journey

/ˈdʒɜːrni/

An act of traveling from one place to another, especially when it takes a long time

Their journey was full of surprises.

Judge

/dʒʌdʒ/

A person who has the authority to decide cases in a court of law

The judge gave a fair verdict.

Juice

/dʒuːs/

The liquid that comes from fruit or vegetables

I love fresh orange juice.

Jackfruit

/ˈdʒækfruːt/

A very large tropical fruit with yellow flesh and a strong smell

Jackfruit is one of the largest fruits in the world.

Jungle

/ˈdʒʌŋɡl/

A thick tropical forest with many trees, plants, and animals

The explorers ventured into the jungle.

Jelly

/ˈdʒɛli/

A soft sweet food made by boiling fruit juice with sugar

Susan spread jelly on her toast.

Job

/dʒɒb/

The regular work that a person does to earn money

He got a new job in the city.

Jockey

/ˈdʒɒki/

A person who rides horses in races

The jockey won the race.

Journal

/ˈdʒɜːrnəl/

A newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject

She writes in her journal every day.

Jazz

/dʒæz/

A type of music with strong rhythms and improvisation, originating in the US

Jazz is a popular music genre.

Junction

/ˈdʒʌŋkʃən/

A place where two or more roads or railway lines meet

The train reached the junction.

Jet

/dʒɛt/

A fast aircraft with a jet engine

The jet soared high.

Jack

/dʒæk/

A device for lifting heavy objects, especially cars

Use a jack to lift the car.

Jester

/ˈdʒɛstər/

A man in past centuries who was employed to entertain a king or nobleman by telling jokes

The jester entertained the king.

Jackpot

/ˈdʒækpɒt/

A large amount of money that somebody wins in a game or lottery

He hit the jackpot at the casino.

Jam

/dʒæm/

A thick, sweet spread made from fruit and sugar

She spread strawberry jam on her toast.

Jingle

/ˈdʒɪŋɡəl/

A short, catchy tune or song, often used in advertising

The commercial had a memorable jingle.

Joy

/dʒɔɪ/

A feeling of great happiness

Linda’s smile radiated pure joy.

Jolt

/dʒoʊlt/

A sudden, rough movement

The bus came to a jolt when it hit a bump.

Jest

/dʒɛst/

Something said or done to amuse people

His remark was made in jest.

Junior

/ˈdʒuːniər/

A person who is younger or has a lower rank

The junior officer followed orders.

Junk

/dʒʌŋk/

Things that are considered useless or of little value

Mike cleared out all the junk from his garage.

Jam session

/dʒæm ˈsɛʃən/

An informal gathering of musicians to play music together

The band held a late-night jam session.

Jamboree

/ˈdʒæmbəri/

A large party or celebration, often with outdoor activities

The scouts attended a jamboree in the forest.

Jukebox

/ˈdʒuːkˌbɒks/

A machine that plays music when a coin is inserted

The diner had a vintage jukebox.

Jeep

/dʒiːp/

A strong vehicle designed for rough ground

He drives a rugged jeep.

Jigsaw

/ˈdʒɪɡzɔː/

A puzzle made of many small pieces that fit together

The jigsaw puzzle took hours to complete.

Jargon

/ˈdʒɑːrɡən/

Words or expressions used by a particular group that are difficult for others to understand

The manual is full of technical jargon.

Jubilee

/dʒuːˈbɪli/

A special anniversary or celebration

The city celebrated its silver jubilee.

Jug

/dʒʌɡ/

A large container with a handle used for pouring liquids

Pour the water from the jug.

Jute

/dʒuːt/

A natural fiber used to make ropes and bags

Jute is used in making eco-friendly bags.

Jewel Box

/ˈdʒuːəl bɒks/

A small decorative container for holding jewelry

The artisan crafted an exquisite jewel box.

Jealousy

/ˈdʒɛləsi/

A feeling of envy towards someone’s success or possessions

Jealousy can ruin relationships.

Jetty

/ˈdʒɛti/

A platform built out into the water for boats to stop at

The fishermen gathered near the jetty.

Jib

/dʒɪb/

A small triangular sail on a boat

The boat’s jib caught the wind.

Jogger

/ˈdʒɒɡər/

A person who runs at a slow, steady pace for exercise

The park is filled with joggers.

Joyride

/ˈdʒɔɪˌraɪd/

A ride in a car taken for fun, often without permission

They went on a joyride last night.

Jack-of-all-trades

/dʒæk əv ɔːl treɪdz/

A person who can do many different types of work

He is known as a jack-of-all-trades in our community.

Juncture

/ˈdʒʌŋktʃər/

A critical or important point in time

At this juncture, we need to make a decision.

Jackal

/ˈdʒækəl/

A wild animal like a small wolf

The jackal howled in the desert.

Jackdaw

/ˈdʒækˌdɔː/

A small black and grey bird of the crow family

A flock of jackdaws gathered on the old fence.

Jellyfish

/ˈdʒɛliˌfɪʃ/

A sea creature with a soft, jelly-like body and long tentacles

The jellyfish floated gracefully in the ocean.

Jay

/dʒeɪ/

A brightly colored bird related to crows

A blue jay is a common sight in North American forests.

Junglefowl

/ˈdʒʌŋɡlˌfaʊl/

A wild bird considered an ancestor of domestic chickens

The red junglefowl is believed to be the ancestor of domestic chickens.

Jasmine

/ˈdʒæzmiːn/

A plant with small white flowers that smell sweet

The jasmine scent filled the garden.

Jupiter

/ˈdʒuːpɪtər/

The largest planet in the solar system

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.

Journalist

/ˈdʒɜːrnəlɪst/

A person who writes for newspapers, magazines, or news websites

She works as a journalist for a major news agency.

Juno

/ˈdʒuːnoʊ/

The queen of the Roman gods, wife of Jupiter

Juno was worshiped as the protector of women.

Janitor

/ˈdʒænɪtər/

A person employed to clean and maintain a building

The janitor keeps the school clean.

Jetlag

/ˈdʒɛtˌlæɡ/

A feeling of tiredness caused by traveling across time zones

She experienced severe jetlag after the long flight.

Justification

/ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

A reason or explanation for something

There is no justification for his actions.

Word begin with J

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example

Jump

/dʒʌmp/

to push yourself off the ground and into the air using your legs

The cat can jump over the fence.

Jog

/dʒɒɡ/

to run at a slow, steady speed for exercise

I jog every morning for exercise.

Juggle

/ˈdʒʌɡəl/

to keep several objects in motion in the air at the same time by throwing and catching them

Jack can juggle three balls at once.

Jab

/dʒæb/

to push something sharp or pointed quickly into or towards something or someone

The boxer jabbed his opponent.

Jam

/dʒæm/

to become unable to move or work due to being stuck

The printer jammed during printing.

Jolt

/dʒoʊlt/

to move or make someone or something move suddenly and roughly

The sudden noise jolted him awake.

Jostle

/ˈdʒɒstəl/

to push roughly against someone in a crowd

People often jostle in crowded areas.

Joke

/dʒoʊk/

to say something to make people laugh; to tell a funny story

They love to joke around.

Jitter

/ˈdʒɪtər/

to feel nervous or act in a nervous way

He began to jitter before the presentation.

Jingle

/ˈdʒɪŋɡəl/

to make a light ringing sound

The keys jingle in her pocket.

Jibe

/dʒaɪb/

to agree with something else; to be similar to another thing

His opinion jibes with mine.

Jail

/dʒeɪl/

to put someone in prison

The police will jail the criminal.

Jettison

/ˈdʒɛtɪsən/

to throw something out of a moving plane or ship to make it lighter

They had to jettison the extra cargo.

Jinx

/dʒɪŋks/

to bring bad luck in a mysterious way

Don’t jinx our chances of winning.

Jabber

/ˈdʒæbər/

to talk quickly in a way that is difficult to understand

John tends to jabber when nervous.

Jape

/dʒeɪp/

to joke or play a trick on someone

They japed about his mistake.

Jeer

/dʒɪər/

to laugh at someone or shout unkind things at them to show you have no respect

The crowd began to jeer the losing team.

Journey

/ˈdʒɜːrni/

to travel from one place to another

We will journey across the country.

Justify

/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ/

to show that something is right or reasonable

Tom tried to justify his actions.

Juxtapose

/ˈdʒʌkstəˌpoʊz/

to place things together, especially in order to show a contrast or a new relationship between them

The exhibit juxtaposes old and new art.

Jack

/dʒæk/

to lift something heavy off the ground using a special device; to increase prices sharply (informal: "jack up")

They jack up the price every year.

Jangle

/ˈdʒæŋɡəl/

to make a harsh ringing sound

The keys jangled in his pocket.

Jest

/dʒɛst/

to say things that are not serious or true, especially to amuse people

They jested about the silly mistake.

Jockey

/ˈdʒɒki/

to try all possible ways of gaining an advantage over others

The candidates jockeyed for the leadership position.

Jostle

/ˈdʒɒstəl/

to push roughly against someone in a crowd

The crowd jostled to get a better view.

Jot

/dʒɒt/

to write something quickly

She jotted down the phone number.

Judge

/dʒʌdʒ/

to form an opinion about something or someone after careful thought

Don’t judge others too quickly.

Juice

/dʌs/

to extract the liquid from fruits or vegetables

My mom juiced the oranges for breakfast.

Jumble

/ˈdʒʌmbəl/

to mix things together in a confused or untidy way

The papers were jumbled on the desk.

Jumpstart

/ˈdʒʌmpstɑːrt/

to start a vehicle whose battery has lost power by connecting it to another vehicle's battery; to make something start quickly or to improve a situation

They jumpstarted the project with a brainstorming session.

Junk

/dʌŋk/

to get rid of something because it is no longer valuable or useful

He junked the old car.

Jut

/dʒʌt/

to stick out further than the surrounding surface

The cliff jutted out over the sea.

Jive

/dʒaɪv/

to dance a fast dance to jazz or swing music; to talk in a way that is intended to deceive

They jived to the lively music.

Jolt

/dʒoʊlt/

to move or make someone or something move suddenly and roughly

The loud noise jolted her awake.

Jolly

/ˈdʒɒli/

to make someone feel happy or cheerful

He jollied her up with a funny story.

Jounce

/ˈdʒaʊns/

to move up and down repeatedly

The ball jounced on the floor.

Word

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example

Jaded

/ˈdʒeɪdɪd/

Tired and bored, usually because you have had too much of something

After years of hard work, he felt jaded.

Jaunty

/ˈdʒɔːnti/

Showing that you are feeling confident and cheerful

She walked with a jaunty step.

Jolly

/ˈdʒɒli/

Happy and cheerful

We had a jolly good time at the party.

Joyful

/ˈdʒɔɪfəl/

Very happy; causing people to be happy

The children were in a joyful mood.

Judicious

/dʒuˈdɪʃəs/

Showing good judgment and sense

A judicious decision will benefit everyone.

Just

/dʒʌst/

That most people consider to be morally fair and reasonable

His punishment was just and fair.

Junior

/ˈdʒuːniər/

Having a lower rank, status, or position

The junior members participated actively.

Jumpy

/ˈdʒʌmpi/

Nervous and anxious, especially because you are frightened or guilty

The cat became jumpy in the dark.

Jovial

/ˈdʒəʊviəl/

Cheerful and friendly

His jovial attitude brightened the room.

Jeering

/ˈdʒɪərɪŋ/

Showing that you have no respect for someone by shouting or laughing at them

The audience gave a jeering laugh.

Jinxed

/ˈdʒɪŋkst/

Having or bringing bad luck

The team seemed jinxed during the match.

Jet-black

/dʒet-blæk/

Completely black

Her hair was jet-black.

Joyless

/ˈdʒɔɪləs/

Not giving or feeling any pleasure or happiness

The party felt joyless without music.

Jittery

/ˈdʒɪtəri/

Anxious or nervous

He felt jittery before the exam.

Jealous

/ˈdʒɛləs/

Feeling angry or unhappy because you wish you had what someone else has

She became jealous when she saw them together.

Jubilant

/ˈdʒuːbɪlənt/

Feeling or showing great happiness, especially because of a success

The fans were jubilant after the win.

Jazzy

/ˈdʒæzi/

Brightly coloured and lively

The party had a jazzy atmosphere.

Jocular

/ˈdʒɒkjələr/

Humorous, funny, or joking

His jocular remarks lightened the mood.

Jagged

/ˈdʒæɡɪd/

Having rough, sharp points protruding

The mountain ridge had a jagged outline.

Juvenile

/ˈdʒuːvənaɪl/

Relating to young people or childish behavior

His behavior was rather juvenile.

Joyous

/ˈdʒɔɪəs/

Very happy; making people feel happy

We celebrated the event in a joyous mood.

Judgmental

/ˈdʒʌdʒmɛntl/

Too quick to criticize others

Avoid a judgmental tone when offering advice.

Justifiable

/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪəbl/

Able to be shown to be right or reasonable

His actions were justifiable under the circumstances.

Jarring

/ˈdʒɑːrɪŋ/

Very different in a way that is strange or unpleasant

The loud noise was jarring to everyone.

Jejune

/dʒɪˈdʒuːn/

Too simple or not interesting

The lecture was jejune and uninspiring.

Jumbled

/ˈdʒʌmbəld/

Mixed together in a way that is not clear or neat

His thoughts were all jumbled after the shock.

Joint

/dʒɔɪnt/

Involving two or more people together

They made a joint effort to solve the problem.

Jam-packed

/dʒæm pækt/

Very full; crowded

The concert hall was jam-packed with fans.

Jaw-dropping

/ˈdʒɔː droʊpɪŋ/

Very surprising or impressive

The magician's trick was absolutely jaw-dropping.

Juvenescent

/dʒuːˈvɛnəsənt/

Becoming or seeming younger

The spa promises a juvenescent experience.

Jumbo

/ˈdʒʌmboʊ/

Very large

They ordered a jumbo pizza for the party.

Jocose

/ˈdʒoʊkəs/

Funny and making people laugh

His jocose comments always make us smile.

Words begin with letter J

Pronunciation

Meaning

Example Sentence

Justly

/ˈdʒʌstli/

In a fair or righteous manner

The rules were applied justly.

Joyfully

/ˈdʒɔɪfəli/

With great happiness

They sang joyfully at the celebration.

Jovially

/ˈdʒoʊviəli/

In a cheerful and friendly way

He greeted everyone jovially.

Jointly

/ˈdʒɔɪntli/

Together; in collaboration

The project was jointly developed.

Jauntily

/ˈdʒɔːntɪli/

In a lively and confident manner

She skipped jauntily down the street.

Jubilantly

/ˈdʒuːbɪləntli/

With great joy and triumph

The fans cheered jubilantly after the victory.

Jokingly

/ˈdʒoʊkɪŋli/

In a humorous or playful manner

He remarked jokingly about the mishap.

Judiciously

/dʒuˈdɪʃəsli/

With good judgment or sense

She planned her day judiciously.

Jitterily

/ˈdʒɪtərɪli/

In a nervous or anxious way

He spoke jitterily before the performance.

Jealously

/ˈdʒɛləsli/

With envy or suspicion

She watched her rival jealously.

Jarringly

/ˈdʒærɪŋli/

In a shocking or jarring manner

The colors clashed jarringly.

Jocularly

/ˈdʒɑːkjələrli/

In a humorous or playful way

He responded jocularly to the comment.

Jazzily

/ˈdʒæzəli/

In a lively or showy manner

The dancers moved jazzily.

Judgmentally

/ˈdʒʌdʒməntəli/

In a critical or judgmental way

He looked at them judgmentally.

Joylessly

/ˈdʒɔɪləsli/

Without joy; in a sad manner

She answered the question joylessly.

Jumpily

/ˈdʒʌmpɪli/

In a nervous or jumpy manner

The rabbit moved jumpily.

Jerkily

/ˈdʒɜːrkɪli/

In a sudden, uneven manner

The video played jerkily.

Justifiably

/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪəbli/

With good reason; justifiably

His actions were justifiably criticized.

Joyously

/ˈdʒɔɪəsli/

In a joyful manner

They celebrated joyously all night.

Jeeringly

/ˈdʒɪərɪŋli/

In a mocking or taunting way

The crowd cheered jeeringly at the mistake.

Jabberingly

/ˈdʒæbərɪŋli/

In a rapid, indistinct manner

He spoke jabberingly when nervous.

Jaw-droppingly

/ˈdʒɔː ˌdrɒpɪŋli/

In an astonishing manner

The news hit the public jaw-droppingly.

Jollily

/ˈdʒɒlɪli/

In a cheerful manner

The children played jollily in the park.

Jestingly

/ˈdʒɛstɪŋli/

In a playful or joking manner

He teased his friend jestingly.

Idioms

Meaning

Example

Jump on the bandwagon

To join a popular activity or trend.

Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon of renewable energy.

Just in the nick of time

At the last possible moment; just in time.

He arrived just in the nick of time to catch the train.

Judge a book by its cover

To assess someone or something based solely on appearance.

It's unfair to judge a book by its cover.

Jekyll and Hyde

A person with two distinct personalities, one good and one evil; based on the novel "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde."

His behavior is like Jekyll and Hyde.

Jump the gun

To act prematurely or hastily.

Don't jump the gun by starting the project without proper planning.

Jack of all trades (...master of none)

A person who has many skills but is not an expert in any particular one.

He's a jack of all trades but a master of none.

Jazz up

To make something more lively or interesting.

They decided to jazz up the presentation with animations.

Joker in the pack

An unpredictable factor that can disrupt plans; derived from the card game where the joker is a wildcard.

His sudden resignation was the joker in the pack that ruined the project.

Jump through hoops

To go through a lot of effort or challenges to achieve something.

She had to jump through hoops to get a work visa.

Jog someone's memory

To help someone remember something.

This photo might jog your memory about our childhood.