alarming 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈlär-miŋ How to pronounce alarming (audio)
Definition of alarmingnext
as in terrifying
causing fear an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alarming

2 of 2

verb

variants also alaruming
present participle of alarm
1
as in frightening
to strike with fear I don't want to alarm you, but I think you should know there's a bear on your back porch

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2
as in disturbing
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alarming
Adjective
Realizing his friend was losing blood at an alarming rate, Corle quickly attempted to stanch the flow. — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 For some supporters, there were alarming echoes of last year’s Hugo Ekitike ‘hijacking’. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
So, even just the unusual presence of an aircraft in this area made this incident alarming for one resident, Anna, who spoke to CNN near the scene. — Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 At the same time, the state’s spending keeps growing quickly as well, alarming the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which advises the Legislature on fiscal matters. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
  1. terrifying
  2. frightening
  3. disturbing
  4. scary
  5. startling
  6. worrying
  7. formidable
  8. scaring
Adjective
  • Wolfson has used animation, video, virtual reality, sculpture, and terrifying robotic figures to render technology as a form of psychological torture and slapstick comedy.
    — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • For many, the clear skies and beauty of that early autumn morning served as a tragic contrast to the appalling and terrifying events that would unfold.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
    — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • Switching means learning a new interface while disturbing an entire digital environment.
    — Mark Vena, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Also, the ship uses dynamic positioning in many cases versus anchoring and disturbing the ocean.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The pass-rush group isn’t nearly as scary without Garrett, and that could affect every level of the defense.
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Almost twenty years ago, a doctor told Pamela Anderson the scariest news.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of scary
Verb
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight-demonstration team, zoomed dangerously low along the Florida coast, stirring up sand and umbrellas, startling some beachgoers—and, it must be said, delighting many others.
    — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of startling
Verb
  • That’s almost eight months of talking, worrying and dreaming about the Bears.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The news, which prompted Treasury yields to fall, came after days of headlines worrying about a global sell-off in government bonds.
    — Matt Peterson,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of worrying
Adjective
  • Soldier Field and Wrigley Field will have formidable new competition.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Importantly, such research demonstrated the formidable risk associated with self-criticism for postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as for disruptions in mother-child communication, which might exacerbate postpartum psychopathology.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of formidable
Verb
  • Few griz/hunter interactions ever move beyond the scaring stage.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Be a menace to people in the community, driving his boat 70 to 80 miles per hour, driving around scaring the heck out of people, taking people's lives.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of scaring

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Cite this Entry

“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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