false alarm
noun
1
: an alarm (such as a fire or burglar alarm) that is set off needlessly
2
: something causing alarm or excitement that proves to be unfounded
Examples of false alarm in a Sentence
A false alarm drew firefighters to the school.
The report that the factory would be closing was a false alarm.
He thought he might be having a heart attack, but his chest pains were just a false alarm.
Recent Examples on the Web
The first of those can be mitigated by basic security hygiene, and the latter appears to be a false alarm.
—
Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
This is Fourth of July weekend, when most jump scares turn out to be false alarms.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 July 2025
Police in Dallas said a fight that broke out between two people on Saturday set off the false alarm.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
The offense is a misdemeanor and includes false alarm and false information 911 calls.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for false alarm
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
This is Fourth of July weekend, when most jump scares turn out to be false alarms.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 July 2025
Police in Dallas said a fight that broke out between two people on Saturday set off the false alarm.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
The offense is a misdemeanor and includes false alarm and false information 911 calls.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for false alarm
Cite this Entry
“False alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/false%20alarm. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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