as in warning
to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or risk
alerted us to the possibility that the roads would be flooded and we might have to take a detour
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Recent Examples of alerting
This could mean stopping a production line when a defect is found or alerting staff to a safety risk.
—
Chhandomay Mandal, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
On an icy block in south Minneapolis, the street is relatively calm, except for the sound of honking and whistles nearby – protesters alerting this neighborhood to the presence of immigration officers.
—Meg Anderson, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026
In addition to alerting train crews of something or someone on the tracks, the technology can trigger crossing gate arms to go up and allow drivers to escape if they’re stuck between gates.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
Chef-owner Qamari Starks is the brother of Hot Grease’s owner, Asha Starks; both applied to the food festival separately, without alerting its management team.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Court documents also said a 17-year-old planned a Shelby County school shooting that was prevented, largely by the student's mother alerting police to their concerns.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 8 Jan. 2026
One defendant is accused of obstruction by alerting gang members to the imminent racketeering indictment in 2024.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Turns out, those crystal bowls and milk glass dishes—both of which made ample clinking noises—were perfect for alerting grandma that little ones were snagging candy before dinner.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
Operators could change behavior anytime without alerting users or marketplaces.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Chhandomay Mandal, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
On an icy block in south Minneapolis, the street is relatively calm, except for the sound of honking and whistles nearby – protesters alerting this neighborhood to the presence of immigration officers.
—Meg Anderson, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026
In addition to alerting train crews of something or someone on the tracks, the technology can trigger crossing gate arms to go up and allow drivers to escape if they’re stuck between gates.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
Chef-owner Qamari Starks is the brother of Hot Grease’s owner, Asha Starks; both applied to the food festival separately, without alerting its management team.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Court documents also said a 17-year-old planned a Shelby County school shooting that was prevented, largely by the student's mother alerting police to their concerns.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 8 Jan. 2026
One defendant is accused of obstruction by alerting gang members to the imminent racketeering indictment in 2024.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Turns out, those crystal bowls and milk glass dishes—both of which made ample clinking noises—were perfect for alerting grandma that little ones were snagging candy before dinner.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
Operators could change behavior anytime without alerting users or marketplaces.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alerting
Verb
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Meanwhile, Iran has been escalating its rhetoric against the US, warning that any attack would be met with force that could of destabilize the entire Middle East.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
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Fire officials in Colorado shared a word of warning on Monday after a house nearly burned down in Erie over the weekend in cold temperatures.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The governor, Tim Walz, defeated for the Vice Presidency, gets on TV, his voice quavering, saying the right things, speaking the truth, and advising courage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Cruise lines such as Margaritaville at Sea have begun alerting their guests of the policy, advising passengers to leave any vaping devices onboard the ships or just avoid bringing them altogether, according to numerous reports.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alerting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alerting. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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