alarm 1 of 2

variants also alarum
1
2
3

alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarum
1
2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alarm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread, fear, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When is dread a more appropriate choice than alarm?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of alarm?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might fright be a better fit than alarm?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to alarm?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When would terror be a good substitute for alarm?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of alarm?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alarm
Noun
That’s raised alarms among the group of House Republicans who pushed for a SALT cap increase, including Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim Hills. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 5 June 2025 The provision has raised alarms from other groups as well. Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Verb
Musk dodged a question about a New York Times report detailing his extensive recreational drug use, including large quantities of ketamine and psychedelic mushrooms, which reportedly alarmed those around him. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 30 May 2025 The resulting increase in attacks on calves has alarmed ranchers and cost the state millions to reimburse losses and support non-lethal deterrents. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for alarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
  • Such apprehension to hire is consistent with fears from small companies that import a lot of their goods that they will be hurt by President Donald Trump’s tariffs .
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 4 June 2025
  • During the apprehension, a regional police officer suffered a minor injury.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • The slugger scorched a fastball that looked to go over the right-field wall, but Josh Lowe was there to catch the ball on the warning track.
    Fiifi Frimpong, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
  • The director of the Los Angeles Police Department's union slammed city and state leadership while issuing a stark warning to would-be anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement rioters.
    Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2025
Noun
  • Staffers were losing access to the agency’s internal payment system, and officials in the Congo were reluctant to authorize an expenditure, for fear that they would be accused of circumventing the executive order.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • Last week, Venetians gathered together to protest the couple's upcoming wedding festivities over fears of disruptions in a city that is already impacted by mass tourism.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Commissioners debate impact fees Several commissioners expressed concerns that a sharp hike in impact fees could scare away businesses from building in Manatee County, from day care centers to manufacturing.
    Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
  • Apparently, the card's $5 million price tag is not scaring off the jet-setters looking to make the U.S. home.
    Tovia Smith, NPR, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • But school officials across the country worry that making lawsuits easier to win will create a more adversarial relationship between parents and schools in the difficult negotiations needed to balance a student’s needs with a school’s limited resources.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 13 June 2025
  • Since the revolution, which transformed Iran into an Islamic Republic, Western nations have worried the country could use its nuclear program to produce atomic weapons using highly enriched uranium.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Supplement Delivery Formats Get a Modern Makeover The Vitamin Shoppe’s report found that 69 percent of Americans take supplements with energy, immunity, cognition and bone health as key areas of concern.
    Emily Burns, Footwear News, 9 June 2025
  • In his decision, Liman found the article was protected reporting on a matter of public concern and dismissed all claims against the Times.
    Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • On May 18, Palmer and the cast attended the Shadyside High Senior Prom ’88 experience as guests explored versions of the gymnasium, lockers, girls’ bathroom and more locations designed to frighten fans.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
  • What to know The Astra channel said that Tokarev, head of the military medical commission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sevastopol, got frightened during an air raid alarm overnight on May 1 sparked by a Ukrainian drone barrage.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • They were also dismayed by a joint budget agreement unveiled by lawmakers earlier this week, which includes similar — though lighter — Medi-Cal cost-cutting measures: $30 premiums and an enrollment freeze beginning in July 2027.
    Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2025
  • The brawls were yet another chapter of dismaying fan behavior during San Diego’s inaugural season, which has been a big success on the field.
    Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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