alarm
noun
a sudden fear or distressing suspense caused by an awareness of danger; apprehension; fright.
was alarming
-
past progressiveof alarm.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
On Saturday afternoon the wall of police and stewards holding the line between furious fans and the front door of Celtic Park was alarming.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2026
New Zealand, by far the Cook Islands' closest diplomatic partner, said it was "alarming and infuriating" to see sanctions efforts undermined.
From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025
“It was alarming, but I think our community needed to see that and realize that we need to start looking inward.”
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2025
The first quake was alarming enough — a rumble more powerful than anything felt in Taiwan for a quarter-century, lasting for more than a minute on Wednesday morning, knocking belongings and even whole buildings askew.
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2024
How many crashes nationally were caused by cell phones was not yet clear, but the emerging evidence was alarming.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
