Synonyms of alarm

alarm 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈlärm 

variants also alarum

1

as in dread

suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune

observed with alarm the man staggering toward the edge of the cliff

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dread
• worry
• anxiety
• concern
• apprehension
• fearfulness
• uncertainty
• unease
• apprehensiveness
• misgiving
• distress
• foreboding
• agitation
• uneasiness
• disturbance
• suspense
• perturbation
• disquiet
• doubt
• solicitude
• mistrust
• disquietude
• funk
• pessimism
• wariness
• anxiousness
• suspiciousness
• scruple
• defeatism
• premonition
• presentiment
• foreknowledge
• incertitude
• presage

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• excitement
• anticipation
• hope
• confidence
• optimism
• hopefulness
• sanguinity

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

• warning
• alert
• forewarning
• advice
• caution
• admonition
• suggestion
• recommendation
• admonishment
• prediction
• heads-up
• announcement
• notice
• informing
• notification
• predicting
• prophecy
• premonition
• forecasting
• declaration
• guidance
• tip
• augury
• notifying
• prophesying
• presaging
• tip-off
• prognosticating
• foretelling
• counsel
• apprising
• auguring

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

• fear
• anxiety
• fearfulness
• panic
• dread
• terror
• fright
• scare
• horror
• trepidation
• worry
• dismay
• concern
• nervousness
• agitation
• pang
• phobia
• jitters
• creeps
• apprehension
• consternation
• perturbation
• disquiet
• twinge
• funk
• qualm
• timidity
• cowardice
• willies
• discomposure
• faintheartedness
• timorousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assurance
• confidence
• boldness
• courage
• self-confidence
• aplomb
• daring
• bravery
• self-assurance
• fortitude
• fearlessness
• gallantry
• valor
• intrepidity
• hardihood
• nerve
• stoutness
• audacity
• dauntlessness
• guts
• intrepidness
• courageousness
• doughtiness

alarm

2 of 2

verb

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

• scare
• frighten
• terrify
• startle
• panic
• shock
• spook
• fright
• affright
• shake
• horrify
• terrorize
• scarify
• worry
• give one the creeps
• appall
• dismay
• make one's flesh creep
• amaze
• distress
• jolt
• shake up
• distract
• awe
• discomfort
• disquiet
• floor
• disturb
• daunt
• astound
• upset
• dispirit
• unnerve
• disconcert
• unsettle
• psych (out)
• bowl over
• emasculate
• unman
• perturb
• unstring
• undo
• chill
• discompose
• demoralize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassure
• assure
• comfort
• cheer
• soothe
• console
• steel
• encourage
• inspire
• solace
• hearten
• embolden

2

as in to concern

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concern
• disturb
• worry
• bother
• distract
• anger
• distress
• upset
• dismay
• agitate
• disquiet
• unsettle
• annoy
• plague
• discomfort
• haunt
• ail
• exercise
• rattle
• flurry
• fuss
• irritate
• distemper
• confuse
• discompose
• perturb
• derail
• undo
• unhinge
• freak (out)
• bug
• embarrass
• weird out
• exasperate
• aggravate
• frazzle
• hagride
• irk
• rile
• grate
• vex
• harass
• fret
• discourage
• chafe
• fluster
• put off
• pique
• put out
• pester
• disconcert
• harry
• confound
• nettle
• peeve
• discomfit
• gall
• shake up
• daunt
• faze
• mortify
• unnerve
• get
• bedevil
• abash
• jar
• discountenance
• chivy
• dispirit
• dishearten
• nonplus
• demoralize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm
• quiet
• soothe
• settle
• compose
• alleviate
• allay
• assuage
• tranquilize
• placate
• pacify
• mollify
• appease
• conciliate
• propitiate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alarm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread, fear, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When is dread a more appropriate choice than alarm?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of alarm?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might fright be a better fit than alarm?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to alarm?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When would terror be a good substitute for alarm?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of alarm?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

How is the word alarm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread, fear, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When is dread a more appropriate choice than alarm?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of alarm?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might fright be a better fit than alarm?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to alarm?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When would terror be a good substitute for alarm?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of alarm?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of alarm

Noun

That set off alarm bells at leading proxy advisory services and shareholders voted by a large margin to reject the parachute at a special meeting last week. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026

Today the globe faces a second alarm. —Jennifer Granholm, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Verb

The casual acknowledgement of brushing off offers of bribes alarmed some Republican activists, who will endorse a candidate for governor at their state convention on May 16. —Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026

Internally, the post alarmed some workers who huddled in a Slack thread on Monday morning, questioning leadership over its decision to post it in the first place. —Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2026