as in terrifying
causing fear
an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Food preferences begin in the first years of life, so the findings of the study are alarming, said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, an alliance of nonprofits, scientists and donors with a mission of reducing babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Adjective
More alarming is a dive in five-on-five goals when captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on the ice together in the game state.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Food preferences begin in the first years of life, so the findings of the study are alarming, said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, an alliance of nonprofits, scientists and donors with a mission of reducing babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
Inflation reached 69% — alarming at the time but modest in hindsight — and the first major wave of protests erupted.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
Adjective
-
Brandon Flynn Nothing is more terrifying than a late-night host desperate to boost ratings.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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The former Clemson star has discovered a fondness for poa annua, the strain of grass that get bumpy with spikes and footprints and late afternoon growth, and can be downright terrifying on short par putts when the greens are this fast.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Managing the genetic health of such a small population is essential for the species’ long-term viability, and the hair-collection method offers a noninvasive way to gather vital data without disturbing the wombats in their burrows.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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The killings shocked the community, as did Caneiro's trial, which laid out disturbing details of betrayal and violence within the family.—
Christine Sloan,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That was such a terrible shock and really upsetting, horrifying, and scary.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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There’s such a faithful sense of tone to the book, which is uncanny and scary.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
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Saturday, startling his sister.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Instead of worrying about ratings, the new late-night creators are directly beholden to their viewers.—
Joy Press,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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But Joe Garcia, a Democratic former congressman from Miami, said that stance could backfire as Cuban Americans begin worrying about their relatives on the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Kings believe Hunter and Murray could be a formidable duo at the forward spots, giving the team two long and versatile defenders who can guard multiple positions.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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On to Slovakia The Americans now have a semifinal date with a formidable opponent in Slovakia.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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According to Bloomberg, analysts are already antsy about increasing prices scaring away customers, particularly as the cost of living continues to rise.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
5 Feb. 2026
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Most of that money would go to compensate ranchers for cattle eaten by wolves and for guard dogs, scaring devices or other means to keep them away from livestock.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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