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 worrying
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
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Recent Examples of alarming
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 June 2025
The public-health approach begins with data, and, this year, several new reports have provided a set of especially alarming data points.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Some parents even shared alarming personal experiences on Reddit.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 16 June 2025
State officials said in December 2024 that more than 120 wrong-way detection systems had been installed that year on high-risk highway ramps across the state in an effort to curb the alarming rise in fatal crashes over the past five years.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Adjective
Most alarming are the alphas, who are stronger and smarter and much harder to stop.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 June 2025
The public-health approach begins with data, and, this year, several new reports have provided a set of especially alarming data points.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Some parents even shared alarming personal experiences on Reddit.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 16 June 2025
State officials said in December 2024 that more than 120 wrong-way detection systems had been installed that year on high-risk highway ramps across the state in an effort to curb the alarming rise in fatal crashes over the past five years.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
Adjective
-
John Hoffman via Facebook In a statement released on Thursday night, the Hoffman family recounted the terrifying attack, saying they were woken up by someone impersonating an officer who was banging on their door at 2 a.m.—
Stephen Swanson,
CBS News,
20 June 2025
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Whether the result of drugs, alcohol or general hysteria, these terrifying men would enter trance-like states and charge into battle, ignoring severe injuries and collapsing into a feeble heap immediately after the fight concluded.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
-
Bitcoin has dropping back from its all-time high of over $100,000 in the last week as BlackRock quietly confirmed a worrying bitcoin bombshell.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The fumes are certainly easier to ignore or deny than the visceral, immediate violence of serial murder—which is much rarer, and yet, for many, much more frightening.—
Sarah Weinman,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2025
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Which isn’t to say that the film isn’t frightening.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
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Is 'Jaws' the scariest film of all time? Watch it once or hundreds of times and the scare seems fresh every time, says Dawn Keetley, editor of the journal Horror Studies and professor of English and film at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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But Martone is one of the very best prospects in this draft and gives the Flyers size, high-end skill (he’s got plus traits as a shooter, handler and playmaker), and a formidable one-two punch at right wing with Matvei Michkov.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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The actress portrayed formidable sensei Kim Da-Eun on the Netflix series that ended in February after six seasons.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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And in addition to the swing itself, his overall approach at the plate has always been horrible.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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With guidance from Benny’s older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Representative Mike Lawler of New York, who has hinted at ambitions for a governor bid in 2026, according to the New York Post, will need to walk a fine line between appeasing his party and not upsetting potential voters in his home state, which could put him at odds with Republicans.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
-
These weeds require control to prevent upsetting the entire turf ecosystem.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Rarely great, and consistently cringey in that NHL way we’re used to by now, but rarely terrible.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Over and over, Victor argues for the emotional experience of suffering, that recovering from terrible trauma is genuinely complicated.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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