alarm
Americannoun
-
a sudden fear or distressing suspense caused by an awareness of danger; apprehension; fright.
- Synonyms:
- panic, terror, consternation
-
any sound, outcry, or information intended to warn of approaching danger.
Paul Revere raced through the countryside raising the alarm that the British were coming.
-
an automatic device that serves to call attention, to rouse from sleep, or to warn of fire, smoke, an intruder, etc.
-
a warning sound; signal for attention.
-
Animal Behavior. any sound, outcry, chemical discharge, action, or other signal that functions to draw attention to a potential predator.
-
Fencing. an appeal or a challenge made by a step or stamp on the ground with the advancing foot.
-
Archaic. a call to arms.
verb (used with object)
-
to make fearful or apprehensive; distress.
-
to warn of danger; rouse to vigilance and swift measures for safety.
-
to fit or equip with an alarm or alarms, as for fire, smoke, or robbery.
to alarm one's house and garage.
verb
-
to fill with apprehension, anxiety, or fear
-
to warn about danger; alert
-
to fit or activate a burglar alarm on a house, car, etc
noun
-
fear or terror aroused by awareness of danger; fright
-
apprehension or uneasiness
the idea of failing filled him with alarm
-
a noise, signal, etc, warning of danger
-
any device that transmits such a warning
a burglar alarm
-
-
the device in an alarm clock that triggers off the bell or buzzer
-
short for alarm clock
-
-
archaic a call to arms
-
fencing a warning or challenge made by stamping the front foot
Usage
What does alarm mean? Alarm is a sudden feeling of fear or suspense caused by an awareness of danger, as in The pirates boarding the ship filled the captain with alarm. An alarm is any sound or cry that is meant to alert someone. It can also be the device that produces the alarm, such as an alarm clock. Sounding the alarm means to activate a siren, bell, or a repeated verbal call, usually projected from a speaker of some kind. To alarm someone is to make them fearful or distressed, as in My parents alarmed me when they started talking about moving south. To alarm also means to warn someone about danger. Example: Not to alarm you, but I feel like I might need to go to the emergency room.
Related Words
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alarm
1350–1400; Middle English alarme, alarom < Middle French < Old Italian allarme, noun from phrase all'arme to (the) arms. See arm 2
Explanation
On a clock, the alarm can be set to go off at a certain time to wake nearby sleepers. You should always check the alarm on the clock at a hotel because a previous guest may have it set to go off in the middle of the night. The noun alarm refers to a signal that is meant to rouse, alert, or awaken someone. On April 18, 1775, William Dawes, Paul Revere, and several others rode from Boston to Lexington, Massachusetts to raise the alarm that the British were coming. As a verb, alarm means to be filled with anxiety or apprehension. You may become alarmed if your children become too quiet. Never a good sign — they are probably up to something mischievous.
Vocabulary lists containing alarm
Words inspired by "Inside Out"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Yikes! Synonyms for "Scared"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1986, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert dedicated a full episode of their syndicated series “At the Movies” to sounding the alarm about the industry’s fascination with colorizing black-and-white films.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
A Dutch man who had boarded in Ushuaia along with his wife died aboard the ship on April 11, without raising alarm.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
MSA Safety has struck a deal to buy Autronica Fire & Security, a provider of fire and gas detection and alarm systems, from private-equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners for about $555 million.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
As these outlets grow, so do the voices sounding the alarm about what this could mean for health and inequality.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Torak watched it snuff the air and fluff out its pale rump fur in alarm.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
