alarm

[uh-lahrm]

noun

1. a sudden fear or distressing suspense caused by an awareness of danger; apprehension; fright.

   Synonyms: panic, terror, consternation

2. 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.

3. an automatic device that serves to call attention, to rouse from sleep, or to warn of fire, smoke, an intruder, etc.

4. a warning sound; signal for attention.

5. Animal Behavior.,  any sound, outcry, chemical discharge, action, or other signal that functions to draw attention to a potential predator.

6. Fencing.,  an appeal or a challenge made by a step or stamp on the ground with the advancing foot.

7. Archaic.,  a call to arms.

verb (used with object)

1. to make fearful or apprehensive; distress.

2. to warn of danger; rouse to vigilance and swift measures for safety.

3. to fit or equip with an alarm or alarms, as for fire, smoke, or robbery.

   to alarm one's house and garage.

alarm

/ əˈlɑːm /

verb

1. to fill with apprehension, anxiety, or fear

2. to warn about danger; alert

3. to fit or activate a burglar alarm on a house, car, etc

noun

1. fear or terror aroused by awareness of danger; fright

2. apprehension or uneasiness

   the idea of failing filled him with alarm

3. a noise, signal, etc, warning of danger

4. any device that transmits such a warning

   a burglar alarm

5. 1. the device in an alarm clock that triggers off the bell or buzzer

   2. short for alarm clock

6. archaic,  a call to arms

7. fencing a warning or challenge made by stamping the front foot

Other Word Forms

• alarmable adjective
• alarmedly adverb
• prealarm verb (used with object)
• unalarmed adjective
• alarming adjective
• alarmingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of alarm¹

1350–1400; Middle English alarme, alarom < Middle French < Old Italian allarme, noun from phrase all'arme to (the) arms. See arm ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of alarm¹

C14: from Old French alarme, from Old Italian all'arme to arms; see _arm ²

Idioms and Phrases

see false alarm.

Synonym Study

See fear. See frighten.

Example Sentences

She’s alarmed by the prospect of the same stalling happening to others after the 2026 midterm elections.

Read more on Salon

Ethiopia has been rallying support to regain access to the Red Sea, causing alarm in Eritrea as it took control of the coastline at independence in 1993.

Read more on BBC

The geographical spread of the fires was equally alarming.

Read more on Science Daily

I slowly unzipped the tent door, poked my head out and saw it: a lone bison head-butting a picnic table, lifting one end into the air with alarming ease.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When a Manchester synagogue came under attack last week, it was a 78-year-old volunteer security guard who raised the alarm with police.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anxiety 
• apprehension 
• consternation 
• dismay 
• dread 
• horror 
• nervousness 
• panic 
• scare 
• tension 
• terror 
• trepidation 
• unease 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

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.