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.
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Recent Examples of alarms
Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
The fire quickly grew to four alarms with more than 230 firefighters and EMS personnel responding, the FDNY said.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi frequently hear loud explosions overhead due to daily interceptions, and missile alarms ring out on phones at all hours.
—Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2026
Now Dutch physicians, politicians, and journalists are beginning to sound alarms.
—Charles Lane, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with mobile phone messages and wailing public alarms that provide an advanced notice of incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
South Florida has long dealt with invasive species, but this fast-spreading newcomer is raising urgent alarms among ecologists and wildlife officials.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
When too many alarms sound at once, clinicians stop hearing them.
—Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026
Some other recent federal actions are raising new alarms.
—Alex Olgin, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
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
But the administration’s approach alarms other Jewish groups and erstwhile academic allies in the fight against campus antisemitism.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
A number of leading medical groups raised alarms that the vaccine recommendation changes made under Kennedy would undermine protections against a half-dozen diseases.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
The fire quickly grew to four alarms with more than 230 firefighters and EMS personnel responding, the FDNY said.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi frequently hear loud explosions overhead due to daily interceptions, and missile alarms ring out on phones at all hours.
—Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2026
Now Dutch physicians, politicians, and journalists are beginning to sound alarms.
—Charles Lane, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with mobile phone messages and wailing public alarms that provide an advanced notice of incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
South Florida has long dealt with invasive species, but this fast-spreading newcomer is raising urgent alarms among ecologists and wildlife officials.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
When too many alarms sound at once, clinicians stop hearing them.
—Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026
Some other recent federal actions are raising new alarms.
—Alex Olgin, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
But the administration’s approach alarms other Jewish groups and erstwhile academic allies in the fight against campus antisemitism.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarms
Noun
-
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued warnings advising beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in the ocean waters stretching from Malibu, California, to Santa Monica, California, due to high bacteria levels.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In a Facebook post, the department said the texts may include complex or unusual language and urgent warnings intended to prompt immediate action.—
Maria Salette Ontiveros,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Geopolitical scares that faded and allowed oil prices to recede.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
-
He’s also been involved in multiple injury scares to star players in the last year.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But even that concerns Social Circle authorities.—
Lautaro Grinspan,
AJC.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The conflicting emotions of facing Ralph in a regional final is not what concerns Auriemma.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Baltimore City also has a mass notification system for severe weather alerts.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 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
-
Dennis Henigan, vice president for legal and regulatory affairs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said his advocacy group worries the FDA is succumbing to pressure from the tobacco and vaping industry with its new guidance.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Wastewater would travel from there through a creek that passes under a small bridge not far from the Hurlbuts’ home, and Roger Hurlbut worries about the risk of flooding during heavy rains.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 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
-
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
-
Dethatching disturbs the soil surface, which can trigger dormant weed seeds to sprout.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarms. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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