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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Trump reveals what Russia told him as alarming plague concerns come into focus. — FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Before long, though, the family’s warm reception has turned as cold and rocky as the avalanches that occur with alarming regularity in the vicinity. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
The constant delay-of-game calls, false starts and inability to get lined up are a special level of alarming for a quarterback who entered the NFL 10 years ago. — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 OpenAI’s use of a new technique that obscures AI agents’ chain of thought is alarming the research community. — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 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
  • As an actress, a character like that was thrilling and terrifying.
    — William Earl, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, Hersh was to miss the flight because he was still being held hostage, starving, tortured, and surviving on that date in terrifying confinement.
    — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 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
  • If anything, the University of Toronto researchers discovered, we humans are the ones disturbing our dogs’ sleep.
    — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
  • By mimicking the oarfish’s fluid control, Shepherd’s team aims to construct large, silent robotic monitors capable of observing fragile ocean ecosystems without ever disturbing the wildlife inside them.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The Rangers announced the devastating news on Saturday following a scary injury in which the 30-year-old’s right skate jammed into the post while gliding across his crease in the first period.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Watching her film in the water was one of the scariest moments as a mom, because the tank was pitch black.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of scary
Verb
  • As if triggered by this thought, the door buzzed itself open, startling the pigeons from wire to wing, a grand scattering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of startling
Verb
  • With early voting already underway, a question worrying some voters is what role — if any — immigration enforcement officers might have at polling places through Election Day.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Cloud computing let businesses add capacity without worrying much about what sat behind it.
    — Anthony Milewski, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of worrying
Adjective
  • Community supporter and legal advocate Over decades in South Florida, Klock earned a reputation as a formidable advocate, a mentor to younger lawyers and a steadfast supporter of the community.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The original recipe was two parts apple brandy to one part each of the liqueurs, giving this cocktail a quotient of sweetness that even its formidable alcohol content can’t quite tame.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of formidable
Verb
  • Halloween Horror Nights are still scaring visitors to Universal Studios Hollywood, but the park is already making holiday plans.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • More than anything, this adaptation feels scared of being too unlikable or scaring anyone too much.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 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 15 Oct. 2026.

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