alarming

1 of 2

adjective

alarm·​ing ə-ˈlär-miŋ 

: causing people to feel danger or alarm or to be worried or frightened

alarming news

The statistics revealed an alarming increase in childhood obesity.

alarmingly

ə-ˈlär-miŋ-lē

adverb

an alarmingly high rate of infection

alarming

2 of 2

present participle of alarm entry 2

Synonyms of alarming

Adjective

• terrifying
• frightening
• scary
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating
• shocking

Examples of alarming in a Sentence

Adjective

an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The kind of life admin tasks like swim lesson sign-ups and appointment confirmations that pile up with alarming frequency in a house of one preschool-age kid and two adults with full-time jobs. — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026

Those numbers are enough to be alarming, but the advanced numbers give even more context. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026

Earnings strength Earnings have been a major reason why investors have managed to stay optimistic in the current market, even in the face of alarming headlines. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Halloween is sneaking up frighteningly fast, which means the window for coming up with a genuinely clever costume is closing at an alarming rate. — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of alarm entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alarming

• disarming
• arming
• charming
• farming
• harming