as in terrifying
causing fear
an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also alaruming
1
as in frightening
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 disturbing
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
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Recent Examples of alarming
Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Crises erupt across the world with alarming regularity, and yet the biannual fashion shows press on.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Adjective
Fluctuating oil prices may already be alarming voters.
—Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Crises erupt across the world with alarming regularity, and yet the biannual fashion shows press on.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Inflation reached 69% — alarming at the time but modest in hindsight — and the first major wave of protests erupted.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
Adjective
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shuttle buses often pause to allow passengers to observe animals without disturbing them.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
According to investigators, multiple officers were called to the gas station after reports of an intoxicated man who was disturbing customers.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s been scary being a part of these franchises with big followings for such a long time.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
-
But John is, as established, too dense to be truly affected by any scary woman.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Saturday, startling his sister.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Nothing’s worse than worrying about an overly revealing neckline or an itchy zipper midway through dinner.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The Spurs are worrying about problems like this in the immediate, while the Bulls are far off from worrying about game-plan intricacies determining their success.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Makes for a pretty formidable opponent, especially in your own division.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 6,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
At 38-24 and a half-game ahead of the Lakers, star center Nikola Jokic’s squad is always formidable — and looking to avenge a loss to Redick’s team in their first matchup, 115-107 in a game Jokic didn’t play.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Among them is an allegation that Live Nation threatens to retaliate against venues that work with rivals, allegedly scaring those venues into complying.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The growing conflict is also drawing concern on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula, scaring away carriers that had sought to make a more regular return to the Suez Canal.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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