- present participle of alarm.
alarming
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alarming
Explanation
Something that's alarming is disturbing or upsetting. It can be alarming when you hear a sudden, loud crash of thunder. The idea of climate change is very alarming to many people, and the sound of a police car's siren is alarming when you're driving. Things that are alarming grab your attention, and either frighten you or at least unsettle you. The adjective alarming comes from alarm, via the Old French alarme, which is rooted in the Italian interjection all'arme, a rally or warning cry, "to arms!"
Vocabulary lists containing alarming
The Magician's Nephew
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Uh-Oh: Synonyms for "Dangerous"
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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.
That’s why news this week that Greenland was planning to cull 1,000 Greenland sharks was so alarming to many online.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
That might seem alarming, but Wald said it isn’t necessarily a cause for concern — at least not right now.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
"It was heavy bleeding and quite large clots, which I've never had before - they looked like baby seals and that was really alarming."
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Public health officials say Los Angeles County is experiencing an alarming influx of rabid bats — matching the highest number ever recorded before peak season is even over.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Snape’s behavior toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
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.
