as in terrifying
causing fear
an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also alaruming
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbing
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of alarming
Big Think, 4 May 2026
Instead, government continues to grow at an alarming pace, into an unwieldy monster, impossibly big and unmanageable and expensive.
—Kevin Fixler
may 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 May 2026
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
China’s increasingly advanced military capabilities are alarming the West and reshaping the global balance of naval power, analysts said.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Adjective
Extrapolate those trend lines, and the arithmetic becomes alarming.
—Big Think, 4 May 2026
Instead, government continues to grow at an alarming pace, into an unwieldy monster, impossibly big and unmanageable and expensive.
—Kevin Fixler
may 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 May 2026
Verb
While a small sample size, the historical record for what happens after the S & P 500 has a down month after a seven-month win streak is more reassuring than alarming for the near term.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
China’s increasingly advanced military capabilities are alarming the West and reshaping the global balance of naval power, analysts said.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
Adjective
-
While Krug was alive, authorities filed search warrants with communications companies that sought information about the increasingly terrifying messages the stalker was sending her, police records show.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
-
When the show picks up, Lorcan is experiencing a strange series of nightmares centered around a terrifying rabbit-faced man, a creature pulled from Celtic mythology known as a Pooka.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In addition, local inland wetland agencies may have stricter regulations on planting, disturbing or controlling specific invasive plants in sensitive areas within their town.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
-
Remaining quiet and respectful increases the chances of observing bears in their natural habitat without disturbing them.—
Debbie Olsen,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just because there’s something scary down the hall, that doesn’t mean that being a good person doesn’t matter.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
Makar took a scary hit along the boards from Foligno early in the first period.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Air quality concerns Smoke continued to linger Wednesday, worrying residents.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Investors previously challenged the company's aggressive spending initiatives, worrying that new tech investments would take time to pay off.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last month, despite Orbán’s formidable, long-standing attempts to rig the legal and electoral systems in his favor, Magyar won, in a stunning upset.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Stockton, who formed a formidable tandem with fellow Jazz superstar Karl Malone, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Plus, nobody will careen past you at 110 mph, scaring you spitless.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This isn’t a film about trauma, or smuggled-in social issues, or anything at all, really, besides the honest workaday business of scaring the bejesus out of its audience, rinsing, and repeating with extra vigor.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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