as in terrifying
causing fear
an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also alaruming
1
as in frightening
to strike with fear
I don't want to alarm you, but I think you should know there's a bear on your back porch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbing
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of alarming
Charlie Hunt, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
Stephanie Slowly Little, the Executive Director of NAMI Maryland, explained that NAMI is seeing an alarming rate of people of all ages struggling with their mental health.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Adjective
But an alarming trend in many state legislative elections is lowering the bar even further, to something more like a one-party system.
—Charlie Hunt, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
Stephanie Slowly Little, the Executive Director of NAMI Maryland, explained that NAMI is seeing an alarming rate of people of all ages struggling with their mental health.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
Inflation reached 69% — alarming at the time but modest in hindsight — and the first major wave of protests erupted.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
The trend is alarming free speech and higher education advocates who see the First Amendment rights of professors in peril.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
Adjective
-
After reviewing footage from monitoring cameras set up in the child’s room, the father, who has not been publicly identified, saw a terrifying incident of violence against his son, which had taken place two days earlier, according to authorities.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Many mothers in the Twin Cities marched the streets in the wake of the murders and terrifying kidnappings by ICE, and many mothers organized in other ways, moving food and money to food shelves, families sheltering-in-place, and rent relief funds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The documents, which are unclassified FBI and Department of Homeland Security intelligence reports, provide disturbing new insights into the growing problem – and also illustrate law enforcement’s struggle to crack down on the decentralized movement.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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With their special technology, the cameras can take high-quality videos of animals at night without disturbing them.—
Charles Seabrook,
AJC.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The scariest jump in ice skating requires your shoulders, hips, knees and feet to be in perfect alignment.—
Kelly O'Grady,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Range anxiety never sounded so scary.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Saturday, startling his sister.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But then over here, rumblings about the future of the company and people worrying what does this mean not only for themselves but for the prospects of Rolling Stone, which is a life mantra and mission that people came from all over the world to be a part of.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Boaters who call North Point Marina their homeport during the boating season can stop worrying over where to moor their vessels.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Apple Pay and Cash App became formidable competitors.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The rout was on from there as Florida’s formidable frontcourt imposed its will, finishing with a 56-35 rebounding edge and a 20-point advantage in the paint.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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According to Bloomberg, analysts are already antsy about increasing prices scaring away customers, particularly as the cost of living continues to rise.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
5 Feb. 2026
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Most of that money would go to compensate ranchers for cattle eaten by wolves and for guard dogs, scaring devices or other means to keep them away from livestock.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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