alarming

adjective

alarm·​ing ə-ˈlär-miŋ 

: 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

Synonyms

• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• fearsome
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightening
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• intimidating
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

Examples of alarming in a Sentence

an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst

Recent Examples on the Web

While the doctors found nothing alarming, disturbing allegations about Payne’s relationship with Henry began to emerge on TikTok around that time. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025

Scientists found that paper straws and other biodegradable straws contained PFAS at an alarming rate, with the chemicals detected in 18 out of 20 brands. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025

That’s an enormous and alarming amount of information and power for any one person to have. —Allison Stanger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025

Because of this, what would normally be alarming at any other airport in the country has become commonplace at DCA. —Megan Christie, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of alarm entry 2

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined above