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Synonyms

burglar alarm

American  

noun

  1. an automatic device for giving an alarm when a window, door, safe, etc., is opened or tampered with, as by a burglar.


Etymology

Origin of burglar alarm

First recorded in 1830–40

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.

See Examples For:

His mother “worked as a receptionist at a burglar alarm company—one of the few growth industries in the neighborhood” during the early 1960s.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 20, 2026

He’s jury-rigged a burglar alarm with foam so it makes a clattering sound loud enough for the neighbor’s Ring camera to pick up, he said.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 26, 2025

The first possible sign of Cavalcante that alerted searchers shortly after midnight Tuesday was a burglar alarm.

From Seattle Times Sep. 13, 2023

This covered items such as regular beauty treatments, theatre trips, and annual maintenance and servicing of a burglar alarm.

From BBC Oct. 12, 2021

Someone broke into your house after you’d been kind enough to switch off the burglar alarm?

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

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