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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 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
There was some sloppiness from the offense with pre-snap penalties, but that’s not too alarming in July. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 30 July 2026 Discovered in 2004 while traveling on an alarming potential collision course with our planet, the near-Earth asteroid Apophis is now better known as the best example yet of our world dodging a cosmic bullet. — Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 30 July 2026
Verb
For Denver residents like Marisa Saturni-Johnson, the sirens were alarming enough to send her family into shelter. — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 10 June 2026 The institution has resisted placing it under glass or alarming it in order to allow visitors as unrestricted a viewing experience as possible. — News Desk, Artforum, 9 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
  • Pinnock, in particular, is at his best here, showcasing a diabolical cruelty and terrifying manipulation, elevating the story and the show to a different level.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • Here's a selection of spectacular photos of the July Buck Moon 2026 captured alongside gorgeous natural landscapes, terrifying wildfires and stunning cityscapes from around the world.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 30 July 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
  • Harper’s left behind records detailing disturbing behavior that seem not to have been based in fact.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 July 2026
  • Out of competition The world of elite sports is taken to disturbing new heights full of brutality and painful ambition in the new film from Nikias Chryssos (The Bunker, Rave On, A Pure Place).
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The Bang Bang Gang shifted momentum, but sent Clark Connors crashing onto the steel steps in a legitimately scary spot.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Video footage obtained by PEOPLE shows the scary moment the slingshot-style ride malfunctioned as one of the wires that attaches to the car appears to abruptly snap off.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of scary
Verb
  • Cortlandt Koerwitz/Instagram A family's Fourth of July outing took a frightening turn when a bear charged at a father outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home after startling his daughters.
    — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 9 July 2026
  • Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.
    — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of startling
Verb
  • This can help address the root cause of behaviors such as spending excessive time in bed awake, maintaining irregular sleep schedules, and conditioned arousal such as worrying about sleep.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Why Co-Viewing Matters Today In 2026, parents spend a lot of time worrying about screen time.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026
Definition of worrying
Adjective
  • Ulf has Silverwing and Hugh rides Vermithor, both formidable beasts.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The three formed a formidable frontcourt that could score, pass and defend.
    — Rob Peterson, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of formidable
Verb
  • While movies may no longer be playing in the wider universe, at least our video games are taking us there and then scaring us out of our space boots.
    — Matthew Razak, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • More harassment, then eviction Within a year of his release, Henrichsen had returned to harassing and scaring his neighbors, according to a request for a restraining order filed in May 2023.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of scaring

Browse Nearby Words

alarmed
alarming
alarmingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on alarming

Nglish: Translation of alarming for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All