variants
also alarum
1
as in apprehension
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
observed with alarm the man staggering toward the edge of the cliff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in warning
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
3
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
filled with alarm when the flood waters reached their front steps
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also alarum
1
as in to scare
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 to worry
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 alarm
Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Trump’s dispute with the Bureau of Labor Statistics further raises the stakes — and the alarms about creeping authoritarianism.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
While she was alarmed by shiny black leggings, slingback boots, and a jean jacket, I was equally stunned by her Pentecostal version of nurses’ scrubs; a powder blue, boxy dress with a matching jacket and headwrap.
—Essence, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarm
Noun
While Taipei’s relations with the United States remain strong at an institutional level, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has faced multiple speed bumps, internally and externally, that have raised alarms among Taiwan experts back in Washington.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Trump’s dispute with the Bureau of Labor Statistics further raises the stakes — and the alarms about creeping authoritarianism.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
Years later, after an uptick in gun violence alarmed residents in the summer of 2015, the idea resurfaced.
—David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
While she was alarmed by shiny black leggings, slingback boots, and a jean jacket, I was equally stunned by her Pentecostal version of nurses’ scrubs; a powder blue, boxy dress with a matching jacket and headwrap.
—Essence, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
-
The apprehension came after law enforcement told certain residents to shelter in place due to a sighting in the area Tuesday morning.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The city's fugitive apprehension unit is pursuing other suspects who have not been captured yet.—
Peter D'Abrosca , CB Cotton,
FOXNews.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The impact of this early warning was, by all accounts, extraordinary.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The warning is for Greene, Lenoir and Pitt counties.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The study is not meant to fuel fears but to provide a clear argument for planetary defense by putting the risks of asteroid impacts into context.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Advertisement Advertisement For one thing, Putin decided that spring to send tens of thousands of troops to his border with Ukraine, raising fears of an imminent invasion.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But Levine, a social media savvy young millennial, knew the line between sharing and scaring.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The Wall Street Journal reported that six years after the film was released, the United States Department of Agriculture selected the audio of the scene in question to scare off wolves from killing cattle and livestock on farms across America.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Now, conservation experts worry the road will propel more urbanization.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Half a world away at British University Vietnam, the starting point was different: academic misconduct reports were rising, and administrators worried that AI use was undermining rigor.—
Dr. Aviva Legatt,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For Type 2 Diabetes, Potatoes Have a Bad Rap Blood sugar control is no small concern for Americans.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
8 Aug. 2025
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There's another pathway of equal concern, Brown said.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Most give up halfway, frightened by the warnings of those below.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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While the notion might frighten fans who have Thursday nights perpetually blocked off on their calendars, shorter episodes could prove beneficial in giving the Critical Role founders a little bit of a break.—
Dana Reboe,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
We were dismayed by the state of Chicago’s premiere art palace, for everything from closing its doors for two days a week to shutting down its restaurants and food services, and firing the docents who provided tours and hosted thousands of visitors so diligently for so many years.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
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He’s also dismayed by the GOP’s multitrillion-dollar tax and spending package Congress is currently debating.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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