variants
also alarums
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
variants
also alarums
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in concerns
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 alarms
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Even as the discovery was being celebrated, researchers raised alarms about the species’ future.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Some of your fellow Democrats, though, have raised alarms about his views.
—NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
The president’s own close ties with the private sector have caused some experts to sound the alarms.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … MEDIA FAILING GRADE — American students' lack of basic civics knowledge alarms education advocates.
—FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Firefighters say working smoke alarms woke a family as a fire tore through their home's garage Friday morning.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Corriere della Serra reported that hackers allegedly stole access codes, internal maps, and information regarding placement of CCTV cameras and alarms, subsequently issuing a ransom demand via phone to director Simone Verde.
—News Desk, Artforum, 3 Apr. 2026
The same phenomenon happens with police sirens, ambulance alarms, or the roar of an airplane.
—Big Think, 3 Apr. 2026
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
But that's not really what alarms me, someone making money off of military advancements.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
But what alarms him most is the silence from the business community.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
While Cherry is more versed at keeping her rage simmering just below the surface, Laura struggles to hide her anguish and disgust, which alarms those closest to her.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Disabled bathrooms come fitted with handrails and assistance alarms.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Even as the discovery was being celebrated, researchers raised alarms about the species’ future.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Some of your fellow Democrats, though, have raised alarms about his views.
—NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
The president’s own close ties with the private sector have caused some experts to sound the alarms.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … MEDIA FAILING GRADE — American students' lack of basic civics knowledge alarms education advocates.
—FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Firefighters say working smoke alarms woke a family as a fire tore through their home's garage Friday morning.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Corriere della Serra reported that hackers allegedly stole access codes, internal maps, and information regarding placement of CCTV cameras and alarms, subsequently issuing a ransom demand via phone to director Simone Verde.
—News Desk, Artforum, 3 Apr. 2026
The same phenomenon happens with police sirens, ambulance alarms, or the roar of an airplane.
—Big Think, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
But that's not really what alarms me, someone making money off of military advancements.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
But what alarms him most is the silence from the business community.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
While Cherry is more versed at keeping her rage simmering just below the surface, Laura struggles to hide her anguish and disgust, which alarms those closest to her.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarms
Noun
-
Prosecutors in Martin County, Florida, want the times the prescriptions were filled, the number of pills, the dosage amounts and any instructions that accompanied the pills, such as warnings about driving while taking them, according to documents in an online court docket.—
Mike Schneider,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
-
When the end user clicked through browser warnings, the servers captured all traffic passing through them.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Geopolitical scares that faded and allowed oil prices to recede.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But then concerns about animal welfare rose, and the acute public-health risks faded.—
Rachel Sugar,
Curbed,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Such a topic is not governed by antitrust law, which concerns commercial activities.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Local hospitals are seeing injuries At Memorial Healthcare System in southern Broward County, trauma alerts from e-bike accidents are spiking, signaling more severe injuries.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Minneapolis — Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, whose detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement sparked global outrage earlier this year, constantly worries about being detained once again, his parents told CBS News in an exclusive interview.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In this sketch, a group of women worries about whether their husbands in the other room are getting along.—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Leo moon disturbs unconscious patterns that are ready to be interrupted.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Removing nodules from the ocean floor disturbs the silty seabed that's home to many organisms, like worms and small crustaceans, the scientists found.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarms. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
