alarming

adjective

alarm·​ing ə-ˈlär-miŋ How to pronounce alarming (audio)
: causing people to feel danger or alarm or to be worried or frightened
alarming news
The statistics revealed an alarming increase in childhood obesity.
alarmingly
ə-ˈlär-miŋ-lē
adverb
an alarmingly high rate of infection

Examples of alarming in a Sentence

an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This alarming statistic is known as the Cohort Default Rate (CDR). Robert Farrington, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 Parts of the country are sinking at alarming rates after water aquifers have been sucked up — in Tehran, parts of the city are sinking over 12 inches a year, officials said. Leily Nikounazar Arash Khamooshi, New York Times, 26 July 2025 New research from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) looked at the fecal matter of bowhead whales and found something alarming. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025 Burnout among nurses has reached alarming levels, with surveys indicating that more than 60% of U.S. nurses report symptoms of emotional exhaustion. Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for alarming

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of alarm entry 2

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alarming was in 1658

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Cite this Entry

“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alarming. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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