alarm

1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈlärm 

variants or less commonly alarum

ə-ˈlär-əm 

also

-ˈler- 

-ˈla-rəm

1

usually alarum archaic : a call to arms

… the angry trumpet sounds alarum …

—William Shakespeare

2

: a signal (such as a loud noise or flashing light) that warns or alerts

also : a device that signals

set the alarm to wake me at seven

3

: sudden sharp apprehension and fear resulting from the perception of imminent danger

4

: a warning notice

alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly alarum

alarmed also alarumed; alarming also alaruming; alarms also alarums

transitive verb

1

: to strike with fear

2

: disturb, excite

3

: to give warning to

4

: to equip with an alarm

Did you know?

Today we usually think of an alarm as a loud noise that awakens us or warns us of danger. Its first use, however, was in Italy as a call to arms to soldiers. The Italian phrase all’arme! means literally “to arms” or “to your weapons.” The call was borrowed into other languages and came to be shortened to alarme in early French and Middle English. The word also came to be used as the name for the cry, then for any warning, and then to any device used to sound a warning, such as a bell or a gun. Since an alarm can cause fright or worry, such feelings also came to be known as alarm. By the 17th century, the word was used as a verb, meaning “to warn of danger” and then “to frighten.”

Synonyms

Noun

• apprehension
• concern
• dread
• worry
• apprehensiveness
• fearfulness
• uncertainty
• unease

Verb

• scare
• frighten
• spook
• panic

Choose the Right Synonym for alarm

fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger.

fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Examples of alarm in a Sentence

Noun

The alarm went off when he opened the door.

The whole town heard the alarm.

She set the alarm for six o'clock.

The alarm went off at six o'clock.

The rumors caused widespread alarm and concern.

His parents have expressed alarm about his safety.

The new developments are being viewed with alarm.

She looked around in alarm when she heard the noise.

The dog's barking gave the alarm and the intruders were caught.

A passerby saw the intruders and raised the alarm.

Verb

I didn't mean to alarm you.

The rapid spread of the disease has alarmed many people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

During the president’s first term in office, his officials raised alarms about Beijing’s growing technological prowess, its military buildup, and its dominance over the critical minerals industry. —Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025

Set an alarm to purposefully wake up in the middle of the night, stay awake for 30 minutes to two hours and then go back to sleep. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025

Verb

Next, a 10,000-pound concrete-and-steel battering ram was used to punch 24-foot holes through the ice, beginning at the far end of the whales' four-mile path to freedom, so as not to alarm them. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

In a city home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside Israel, Mamdani’s message has struck sharply different chords, galvanizing left-leaning activists while alarming many Jewish voters who view his words as inflammatory. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English alarme, alarom, from Middle French alarme, from Old Italian all'arme, literally, to the arms

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alarm

• alarm clock
• alarm reaction
• burglar alarm
• false alarm
• fire alarm
• no cause for alarm
• raise/sound the alarm
• still alarm

Rhymes for alarm

• disarm
• forearm
• gendarme
• nonfarm
• rearm
• arm
• charm
• farm
• harm
• firearm
• underarm

Kids Definition

alarm

1 of 2 noun

ə-ˈlärm 

1

: a warning of danger

2

: a device that warns or signals (as by a bell, buzzer, or whistle)

sound the alarm

set the alarm for six o'clock

3

: the fear caused by a sudden sense of danger

alarm

2 of 2 verb

1

: to warn of danger

2

: to cause to feel a sense of danger : frighten

alarmed by the noise

alarmingly

ə-ˈlär-miŋ-lē 

adverb

Etymology

Noun

Middle English alarme "a call to arms," from early French alarme (same meaning), derived from early Italian all'arme, literally "to arms," from all' "to the" and arme "weapon," from Latin arma "weapon" — related to arm entry 3

Word Origin

Today we usually think of an alarm as a loud noise that awakens us or warns us of fire or some other danger. Its first use, however, was as a call to arms to soldiers in Italy. The Italian phrase all'arme! means literally "to arms" or "to your weapons." It was still used this way when borrowed into other languages, but gradually this call came to be shortened to alarme in early French and Middle English. The final -e was later dropped in English. The word also came to be used as the name for the cry, as for example to "give the alarm." Then it came to be used for any warning. A bell or gun used to sound a warning was called an alarm bell or an alarm gun. It wasn't long before people started thinking of alarm as the signal device itself. Then they dropped the second part of the phrase. Since an alarm can cause fright or worry, such feelings also came to be known as alarm. By the 17th century, the word was used as a verb, meaning "to warn of danger" and then "to frighten."