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

Peter remembers that his father always ate with alarming speed. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

In an intriguing footnote, Akbar also mentions the pending arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the aircraft carrier that recently became an alarming headline story. — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

At the same time, the war on terror fueled an alarming rise in xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment and discredited the country’s political and foreign policy elites. — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026

However, a medical case report published this week offers a new and alarming way our digital doodads may cause physical harm. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 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