fire alarm
Americannoun
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fire alarms
plural
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a signal that warns that a fire has started.
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a bell, buzzer, siren, horn, etc., that provides such a signal.
noun
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a device to give warning of fire, esp a bell, siren, or hooter
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a shout to warn that a fire has broken out
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of fire alarm
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50
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.
It exploded, setting off the fire alarm and causing damage to the front door and the hallway.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
While stressing that officials needed to make a comprehensive assessment, he said he saw "no emergency exit signage, emergency lighting systems or fire alarm devices".
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
“You want to get somebody’s attention really quick? Make the fire alarm go off in your spacecraft when you’re still about 80,000 miles from home,” Wiseman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Sound-designed by David Gertsman, “undertone” is so quiet that a tea kettle sounds like a fire alarm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
Nearing the fire alarm, V tapped her pocket for the reassuring feel of the photo and—with a gasp—discovered that it wasn’t there.
From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
