Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for false alarm. Search instead for house alarm.
Synonyms

false alarm

American  

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 British  

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

"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

false alarm Idioms  
  1. 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.


Etymology

Origin of false alarm

First recorded in 1570–80

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.

This misinterpretation activates the cell's innate immune system, creating a false alarm that can lead to inflammation and disease.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

And though the Aukus review was a scare it was ultimately a false alarm.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

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.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

What’s a red flag, what’s a false alarm and what’s already a five alarm fire.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2025

These orders were written up and posted on the tents, and the Boss let it be known that he might at any time give a false alarm as a drill.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong