alarm 1 of 2

variants also alarum
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2
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alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarum
1
2

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

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 alarm
Noun
Hegseth called for the rare last-minute gathering of military leaders earlier this month, which raised some alarms. The Hill Staff, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025 Huang isn’t the only CEO sounding the alarm about a looming shortage of skilled trades. Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the mid-2010s, Pentagon officials in the United States were alarmed by the military progress China and Russia were making. Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 26 Sep. 2025 The threats coming from Vance and a top Trump official alarmed many of the country’s major philanthropies. Brian Bennett, Time, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
  • That apprehension kept him from making big, sweeping changes.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
  • But Jean has this profound apprehension that something else may have been at play.
    Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Vehicles included in this recall may have an error in the instrument panel software at startup, failing to show speed, brake system information, and tire pressure warning lights.
    Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect due to Tropical Storm Octave, according to the NHC.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The fear was that Jayden Daniels would be limited, that the brace on his left knee — or the knee itself — would hinder his running or his elusiveness, eliminate his quick cuts or somehow slow him down.
    Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Colangelo added that, in these depictions, the fear of transness is more present than the fear of being killed.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Nice to know there’s stuff that scares him.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There’s something about kidnapping that scares the fear out of you, Goldberg-Polin says.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As if the local deer population had enough to worry about as the bow hunting season begins, now a disease is spreading between them.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
  • From junior staffers worried about automation to managers fearing irrelevance, no one feels entirely safe.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Phillies entered the ninth trailing 4-1 and quickly reminded the Dodgers why their bullpen concerns are so loud.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • On the heels of Karen’s sentencing, the women gather at Gizelle’s house to commiserate, and spend the whole scene dancing between concern, empathy, and absurdity.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the intent was to frighten the population, the move succeeded.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?
    Fiction Non Fiction October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • He was dismayed to witness the crowd of fans booing the (admittedly struggling) team.
    Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Some say the threat of mass layoffs could be a tactic to pressure Democrats already dismayed by the shrinking federal workforce.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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