ALARMS Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

alarms 1 of 2

noun

variants also alarums

plural of alarm

as in warnings

the act or an instance of telling beforehand of danger or risk in a daring midnight ride Paul Revere gave the alarm that British troops were approaching

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alarms

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarums

present tense third-person singular of alarm

as in scares

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

as in concerns

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel

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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 alarms

Noun

Make sure your home has working smoke alarms, and keep them maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 29 Oct. 2026 The confrontation spilled into the military, where reservists threatened to suspend volunteer service, raising alarms about Israel's preparedness. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Mouth tape, dark showers, weighted blankets, cooling mattresses and sunrise alarms have all jumped from TikTok fringe to mainstream bedtime ritual. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 The police prefecture has urged shopkeepers to strengthen security, check surveillance systems and alarms, protect storefronts and consider adjusting opening hours or hiring private security. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 Set those alarms early again Sunday because the NFL is headed overseas for another international showdown. — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 The standard double comes with plush furnishings, down duvets and pillows, Bose speakers and alarms, flat-screen TVs, and a view of either the rooftop of the hotel pool, plus little perks like free Champagne at check-in. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026 There are no audible alarms, as the monitor does not have a speaker, nor is there a display that shows the AQ readings. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2026 In March, California State Parks filed a $38 million lawsuit against Advantage Total Protection, the company hired to monitor the mansion’s fire and security alarms. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

That prospect alarms those in Europe, who fear FIFA could increasingly challenge their competitions for space on an already overcrowded calendar. — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 He becomes increasingly consumed by the otherworldly dimension, which alarms his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve). — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026 The focal point of escalating concern is oldest son Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) whose increasingly erratic behavior alarms those around him, not only for his safety but others as well. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 May 2026 Whether that future excites or alarms fans, the law—not nostalgia or tradition—will determine who suits up in March. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026 The development of Moltbook, with AI bots forming their own social media, alarms him. — Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026 When something goes wrong, alarms fire. — Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026 Yet the price of gas seems likely to keep rising, which alarms Republicans. — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026 The Corps has adamantly refused to conduct sediment testing for PFAS, which alarms local scientists and environmentalists like Burdette. — Patrick Sisson, Scientific American, 9 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarms

Noun

Doctors stressed the importance of hormone therapies, which many women are considering again after the removal of federal safety warnings.

— Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Buckley said business jet crews often don’t heed the same warnings.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of warnings

Verb

Dozens of other Halloween 2026 events in Metro Detroit are listed in the CBS News Detroit treats and scares roundup.

— Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
In the most basic sense, a film in which supernatural scares arise courtesy of negative space ought to at least have thoughtful framing, but the endless series of startles arrive with the same weight and energy as the fake outs.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of scares

Verb

The case concerns the Israeli military’s bombing of a residential building in Beirut on November 26, 2024, just a few hours before a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was due to come into effect.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
What concerns me is the gap that can open between enterprises with access to the same technology.

— Todd Bernson, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of concerns

Noun

That way, the latest recall alerts come to you rather than the other way around.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
The frequency of strikes on the city has not slowed over the past month since that side of the conflict started, with missile alerts still ringing multiple times a week, sometimes multiple times a night.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of alerts

Verb

The prospect of Sean Steur or Lewis Hall — whose contract situation Wilson refused to be drawn on, despite being asked three times — leaving is not something which frightens the hierarchy.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightens

Verb

Tehran fears that surrendering its maritime leverage first would invite fresh demands; Washington worries that easing pressure would reward coercion without securing lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.

— Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
With construction expected deep into the night, Ping worries, the dust and vibrations will only worsen.

— Curbed, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of worries

Verb

Watch On In this Canadian cult classic that doubles as a coming-of-age story, a sardonic goth transforms into a werewolf in the days leading up to Halloween and terrifies her younger sister.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 22 Oct. 2026
Black Palace is set in 1888 London as an emerging tabloid media terrifies the public with lurid stories of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of terrifies

Verb

Some of the sightings claim a man wearing clothing typical of the 17th or 18th centuries, a man dressed in Confederate attire in the liquor room, a ghost of a former worker Joseph Hardesty and a female who actively disturbs visitors to her home.

— Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Vibration disturbs the natural sediments in wine, flattening the flavor and aging it prematurely.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026