false alarm

noun

1. a false report of a fire in progress to a fire department.

2. something that excites unfounded alarm or expectation.

   Rumors of an impending transit strike proved to be a false alarm.

false alarm

noun

1. a needless alarm given in error or with intent to deceive

2. an occasion on which danger is perceived but fails to materialize

Word History and Origins

Origin of false alarm¹

First recorded in 1570–80

Idioms and Phrases

A warning signal that is groundless, made either by mistake or as a deliberate deception. For example, The rumor that we were all going to get fired was just a false alarm, or Setting off a false alarm is a criminal offense. This expression, first recorded in 1579, today is often used for a report of a nonexistent fire.

Example Sentences

However, at 06:38 on Friday, he explained the "unknown vessel" was a false alarm.

Read more on BBC

Over the years, there have been so many instances that felt as if they had to be the beginning of the end, and they all ended up being false alarms.

Read more on Salon

Some farmworkers, fearful of raids — partly because of false alarms spread on social media — don’t want to risk going to work, fueling a labor shortage, Little said in an interview.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Weiss is about to get his first face-to-face with Spears, but it’s a false alarm: She thinks Weiss is a production assistant.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On the bright side, he said, “there’s no problem of having a false alarm or being wrong,” because the predictions won’t affect people on land.

Read more on Los Angeles Times