alarm

[ uh-lahrm ]

/ əˈlɑrm /

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See synonyms for: alarm / alarmed / alarming / alarmable on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR alarm

1 consternation; terror, panic.

See synonyms for alarm on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of alarm

1350–1400; Middle English alarme, alarom<Middle French <Old Italian allarme, noun from phrase all'arme to (the) arms. See arm²

synonym study for alarm

1. See fear. 8. See frighten.

OTHER WORDS FROM alarm

a·larm·a·ble, adjectivea·larm·ed·ly

[uh-lahr-mid-lee], /əˈlɑr mɪd li/, adverbpre·a·larm, verb (used with object), nounun·a·larmed, adjective

Words nearby alarm

alar, alar cartilage, Alarcón, Alaric, à la rigueur, alarm, alarm clock, alarming, alarmist, alarm reaction, alar spine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT ALARM

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.

Where does alarm come from?

The first records of the term alarm come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Old Italian all’arme, meaning “to arms,” with arms referring to weapons.

Alarms meant to be a reminder to go to an event usually don’t cause alarm in the sense of fear—unless you’re late. Most often, these types of alarms cause you to become alert and aware of something that is needed, similar to how people experiencing alarm become aware of danger.

One use of alarm you might not be familiar with is a certificate of alarm, which is a document that is certified by a home security company and sent to an insurance company to confirm that a house is secured. People with home security systems should pursue a certificate of alarm in order to get a discount on their insurance cost.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to alarm?

alarmable (adjective)
alarmedly (adverb)
alarming (verb, adjective)
unalarmed (adjective)

What are some synonyms for alarm?

What are some words that share a root or word element with alarm?

What are some words that often get used in discussing alarm?

How is alarm used in real life?

Alarms on phones and clocks are a common way to remind yourself about something.

Set my alarm for 10:30 and my phone was set an hour forwards :(

— michael clifford on tour (@Michael5SOS) June 23, 2014

Not to alarm everyone, but I overheard a supermarket manager tell an employee "Frito-Lay is totally out of product."

— Sean Thomason (@TheThomason) March 13, 2020

My pig refuses to eat lettuce, carrots, celery, or any other vegetable, no matter how hungry she is.

Now I'm alarmed.

I'm raising me.

— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) December 13, 2016

Try using alarm!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for alarm?

A. aloof
B. alert
C. signal
D. warning

How to use alarm in a sentence

The Ring Car Alarm, which will cost $60, is Amazon’s take on the traditional car alarm, and it comes with features like location tracking so people can remember where they parked.
Amazon debuted a long list of products today. Here are 3 standouts|jonathanvanian2015|September 24, 2020|Fortune
After setup, the drone can be asked to fly directly, or it can fly on its own to visit disturbances detected by Ring alarm systems.
New Amazon hardware: Ring drones, Echo Dot 4th Gen, Wi-Fi 6 Eero, and more|Jim Salter|September 24, 2020|Ars Technica
Other Fed officials have also sounded the alarm in recent days.
Pelosi abruptly shifts course, restarts relief push amid signs economy is straining|Erica Werner, Rachael Bade|September 24, 2020|Washington Post
Those early immune defenses, which set off alarm bells for the body to go on the attack no matter what the invader, may be weaker in older adults.
Early immune responses may be why younger people get less sick from COVID-19|Erin Garcia de Jesus|September 23, 2020|Science News

Hospital and other local officials on both sides of the border raised the alarm that the border itself was facilitating the spread.
Border Report: New Challenges for Day Laborers|Adriana Heldiz and Maya Srikrishnan|September 21, 2020|Voice of San Diego
On Christmas Day, sometime after dark, a hideous fire overtook the venue: 100 firefighters, 33 fire trucks, a four-alarm blaze.
The Fiery Death of Sotto Sotto, Toronto’s Celebrity Hotspot|Shinan Govani|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The airline industry objects that sometimes these deployable recorders can pop out without cause, spreading needless alarm.
Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Truth be told, there is no one better at capturing the agony and alarm of a woman in the throes of a nervous breakdown than Moore.
Julianne Moore Is Oscar Gold in ‘Still Alice’|Marlow Stern|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the idea of a religious vigilante ambushing sex workers in his spare time sets off alarm bells, it probably should.
To Catch a Sex Worker: A&E’s Awful, Exploitative Ambush Show|Samantha Allen|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Brown was still sounding the alarm about one particular firm, Booz Allen Hamilton, when he was arrested on September 12, 2012.
Sentencing Looms for Barrett Brown, Advocate for “Anonymous”|Kevin M. Gallagher|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some of the alarm returned, however, when the creature attempted to climb up by his own ladder.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
There is cause for alarm when they bring one hundred and ten ships into these seas without any means of resistance on our part.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Her face wore a look of distress, almost of alarm; she kept her place, but her eyes gave Bernard a mute welcome.
Confidence|Henry James
The public eye, ever watchful and timid, waits scarcely for the show of danger to take alarm and withdraw its favour.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
Some of the soldiers secured the porter from creating an alarm; and the rest filling the hall, fastened the door.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for alarm

alarm

/ (əˈlɑːm) /

verb (tr)

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 uneasinessthe idea of failing filled him with alarm

a noise, signal, etc, warning of danger

any device that transmits such a warninga 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

Derived forms of alarm

alarming, adjectivealarmingly, adverb

Word Origin for alarm

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with alarm

alarm

see false alarm.

alarm

OTHER WORDS FOR alarm

Origin of alarm

synonym study for alarm

OTHER WORDS FROM alarm

Words nearby alarm

MORE ABOUT ALARM

What does alarm mean?

Where does alarm come from?

Did you know … ?

How is alarm used in real life?

Try using alarm!

Words related to alarm

How to use alarm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for alarm

Derived forms of alarm

Word Origin for alarm

Other Idioms and Phrases with alarm