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

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT ALARMED

What does alarmed mean?

Alarmed describes a feeling of fear or great worry, as in Qiang was alarmed by the sudden appearance of a ghost in the hallway.

Someone who is alarmed is aware that something bad might happen and is worried or fearful about it.

Alarmed is also a past tense form of alarm, meaning to warn of danger or cause fear.

Example: I was quite alarmed after you sent that text and didn’t respond.

Where does alarmed come from?

The first records of the term alarmed come from around 1518. It combines alarm, meaning “to make fearful,” and the suffix –ed, which turns verbs into adjectives that indicate a condition or quality that results from the action of the verb.

You might hear the phrase no need to be alarmed or do not be alarmed. These phrases are used when something seems alarming but is not actually something to worry about. For example, when the Emergency Broadcast System is being tested over the radio, the announcer will explain that when you hear the tone, you shouldn’t be alarmed because it’s only a test.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to alarmed?

alarmedly (adverb)
unalarmed (adjective)

What are some synonyms for alarmed?

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

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

How is alarmed used in real life?

Alarmed is used to describe a feeling of fear or intense worry.

I told my 2-year-old we were having pizza and she cried.

I was alarmed until I realized they were tears of joy.

— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) August 28, 2016

Never sounding more alarmed than when entering a hotel room to discover “there’s no kettle?!?”

— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) November 25, 2017

WARNING: If you follow me, you may occasionally be subjected to either a joke or, more frequently, sarcasm.

Do not be alarmed. You do not need to express how seriously you take life or your lack of humor.

It’ll be a silent understanding between us. ❤️

— kristen johnston (@thekjohnston) February 5, 2019

Try using alarmed!

Is alarmed used correctly in the following sentence?

Hassam was so alarmed about his sister’s wedding that he wept tears of joy.

How to use alarm in a sentence

After a 2016 fire tornado ripped through northern Canada and a firestorm consumed Gatlinburg, Tennessee, he said, “alarm bells started going off” for the insurance industry.
Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration|by Abrahm Lustgarten, photography by Meridith Kohut|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
Meanwhile, last month, the WHO raised an alarm that the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the west of the DR Congo is underfunded and facing logistic challenges.
Scientists in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and US have developed a $1 test for Ebola and Lassa virus|Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu|September 14, 2020|Quartz
He is one of a number of federal defense attorneys who have been sounding the alarm about conditions at the downtown prison, arguing that people being detained in the facility were being put at risk.
Morning Report: Downtown Jail Outbreak Goes From Bad to Worse|Voice of San Diego|September 11, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The idea is to make the trail go cold or, better yet, raise false alarms for investigators.
North Korean hackers steal billions in cryptocurrency. How do they turn it into real cash?|Patrick O'Neill|September 10, 2020|MIT Technology Review

She was early to sound the alarm on the pandemic while also arguing for keeping parks and beaches open.
American Fringes: How the Media Makes it Worse|Nick Fouriezos|September 7, 2020|Ozy
The early reaction to Shami closing his account is similarly alarmed.
The Scared Widdle Kitty of ISIS|Jacob Siegel|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Chernon Bah, co-founder of A World at School, was alarmed by what she witnessed recently in Sierra Leone.
The Radio Battle to Educate Ebola’s Kids|Abby Haglage|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Biologist Mattson is alarmed by the abrupt 2008 rise in grizzly mortality from conflicts both with livestock and hunters.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He saw his mother on the couch and figured she was sleeping, but then he became alarmed.
Did the Amber Lynn Coplin Murder Photos Sicken the Creeps of 4Chan?|Michael Daly|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He had grown even more alarmed when he discovered that her passport was missing.
How ISIS’s Colorado Girls Were Caught|Michael Daly|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The expatriated ex-rebels became alarmed by the non-receipt of the indemnity instalment and the news from their homes.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Alice had been wondering what had detained her so long, and by the time she arrived had become very much alarmed.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
The sentinels seemed much alarmed, and drew up their carbines as if to shoot.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
One fainting-fit succeeded to another; till at last Alphonse began to be seriously alarmed.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
A maid, alarmed at the din of breaking glass, entered the room to discover what was the matter.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

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

MORE ABOUT ALARMED

What does alarmed mean?

Where does alarmed come from?

Did you know … ?

How is alarmed used in real life?

Try using alarmed!

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