jamming

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'jamming' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to creating music, or a gathering of musicians, that happens spontaneously. For example: "We went to the park and ended up jamming all afternoon!".

✓ Grammatically correct

The act or process of jamming

Electronic jamming

Musicians jamming together

Obstruction

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

You'll often find that musicians travelling together will end up jamming and singing and getting out a drum anyway.

The Guardian - Music

Then we were jamming in the train's rehearsal space (next to the massage parlour).

The Guardian - Music

Many of the problems had already been reported - not enough desert combats or boots, SA80 rifles jamming, Challenger tanks running out of air filters and the welfare package being patchy.

The Guardian

The new SA80s hadn't got to everyone and the old ones were jamming in all the dust.

The Guardian

Or say we bumped into Damon on the Eurostar and there was another musician in that carriage, I'm sure within a couple of seconds we'd start jamming.

The Guardian - Music

So, as you seat yourself for breakfast muffins, take the time to broach the subjects of jamming with Jimi Hendrix, working at Epic Records, overseeing the soundtrack for the film Rock Star and having 25 gold and platinum records.

The Guardian - Travel

But they act like a cork in a bottle at the point where glaciers meet the sea – jamming the flow of ice from the massive ice sheets of east and west Antarctica.

The Guardian

MARRIOTT has admitted to jamming customers' Wi-Fi hotspots in "at least one" of its hotels, forcing business travellers to pay for the chain's own Wi-Fi service, according to America's Federal Communication Commission (FCC).

The Economist

It is hard to find a company that is not competing for the attention of all the journalists jamming into town for the next few days.

The Economist

When described by Rolling Stone magazine in 2009 as "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money", bosses shrugged off the insults as the product of jealousy and misunderstanding.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

The CTIA, an advocacy group for the wireless communication industry, says jamming is too blunt a tool: it is hard to jam mobile phones throughout an entire prison without extending the effects outside the prison walls, and rendering the phones of prison staff and emergency responders ineffective as well.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "jamming" in a musical context, ensure it's clear that you're referring to an improvisational session. Provide context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "jamming" interchangeably across different contexts (music vs. obstruction). Ensure the intended meaning is clear to your audience.

Linguistic Context

The term "jamming" functions primarily as a present participle or a gerund, often describing an ongoing action or process, as Ludwig AI confirms. It can also function as a noun referring to the act of "jamming".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

The act or process of jamming

15%

Electronic jamming

10%

Less common in

Musicians jamming together

7%

Obstruction

5%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

As Ludwig AI clarifies, the term "jamming" is grammatically correct and versatile. It can refer to musical improvisation, electronic interference, or general obstruction. Its usage ranges from informal contexts, such as musicians "jamming" together, to more formal and technical contexts like signal "jamming" reported in news and media. Given its frequent appearance in reputable sources like The Economist and The Guardian, "jamming" is a common term, but it's essential to ensure clarity in your writing to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

improvising music

A shorter version of 'playing music improvisationally'.

playing music improvisationally

Specifically describes the act of creating music spontaneously.

having an impromptu music session

Describes an unplanned musical gathering.

creating music spontaneously

Highlights the impromptu nature of the musical process.

obstructing

Focuses on the act of blocking or hindering progress.

blocking

Highlights the physical or metaphorical act of preventing passage or progress.

impeding

Emphasizes the slowing down or preventing of something.

interfering with

Highlights the disruption or prevention of something's natural course.

clogging

Refers to filling something to the point of obstruction.

scrambling

Specifically refers to the act of distorting or making signals unintelligible.

FAQs

How can I use "jamming" in a sentence?

Depending on the context, "jamming" can refer to a musical improvisation or an act of obstruction. For example, "The band was "jamming" all night" or "The signal was "jamming" the communication lines".

What are some alternatives to "jamming" when referring to music?

You can use alternatives like "improvising", "playing music improvisationally", or "having an impromptu music session" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "jamming" and "obstructing"?

"Jamming" can be a more informal or specific way to describe "obstructing". While obstructing generally means to block or hinder, "jamming" can imply a more forceful or disruptive type of blockage, especially in technical contexts like signal "jamming".

In what scenarios is "jamming" considered an informal expression?

The term "jamming" is mostly an informal expression when it refers to "having an impromptu music session". In technical and military domains, "jamming" is a standard term for signal interference and isn't necessarily informal.