1
as in signal
an object intended to give public notice or warning the tocsin rang out, warning us of the approaching tornado

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2
as in warning
something that tells of approaching danger or risk noted that a sudden drop in a student's grades may be a tocsin of a serious personal problem

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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 tocsin Singer Building housed a sewing-machine company, but its slender campanile might have served to ring tocsins or watch for approaching armies. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 Aug. 2023 The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Hudson Institute, and AEI have all been sounding the tocsin about Iran for decades. Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tocsin
Noun
  • Allowing for correction is a signal that the system is responsive.
    Shiva Chandrashekher, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Among our brain’s communication signals are neurotransmitters.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Police departments are issuing warnings and urging parents to talk with their kids about the potential dangers, while principals are sending letters home.
    Jazmin Towe, Parents, 9 May 2025
  • Several household-name toy companies have made the decision to raise their prices to absorb the new import taxes, with others issuing warnings that some toys may be absent from the shelves come holiday season.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tocsin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tocsin. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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