alarm 1 of 2

variants also alarum
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alarm

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verb

variants also alarum
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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

Examples 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
This alarm is relatively affordable, latches to your bag or keychain, and sets off a loud siren and strobe light when the top is pulled. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2025 For him, the idea that some Venezuelans want to self-deport set off alarm bells. Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
Trends have alarmed experts who worry that personal agendas, beliefs, and ideologies are shaping curriculum development. Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024 While the state’s governor says there’s no threat to public safety, other state officials and local mayors are alarmed. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for alarm 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
  • This announcement, made a month ago, quickly stirred apprehension among classic car enthusiasts.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
  • And so, the colonial government continued to permit the Junkanoo processions despite its apprehension.
    Sasha C. Wells / Made by History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Red flag and high wind warnings have been issued through Friday afternoon for wind gusts 40 to 60 mph, with 70 mph possible in the mountains surrounding the California city.
    Max Golembo, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Winter storm warnings are active in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, and winter storm watches extend to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.
    Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The bitcoin price dropped to around $92,000 per bitcoin, restarting a sell-off that had lost steam earlier this week amid fears of a looming bitcoin price crash.
    Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Two donors traveling with the program faced a deeper fear, grappling with the reality that their home in the fire zone might not withstand the flames — a fear later confirmed.
    Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Even in an off-year, Mahomes still scares the heck out of me as a Bills’ fan.
    Harry Enten, CNN, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Consider the teams that might have been scared away by that kind of uncertainty.
    Grant Brisbee, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The glorious few who still worry about the decline of Palm Beach society speculated wildly that Trump was planning to legalize gambling and build a casino, or — the truly frightening possibility — subdivide his acreage and sell houses.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Tech sell-off Stocks fell on Tuesday as investors worried about economic data and tech names tumbled.
    Michele Luhn, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, tasked with a review of the potential acquisition, shared concerns about the national security risks posed by the loss of the country's second-largest steel producer.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Quantum Computer Cryptography: As new projects begin to get funding in 2025, what security concerns will arise?
    John Bruggeman, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Marina, frightened, fled the spa, almost leaving behind her shirt, and spent the next hour looking over her shoulder to see whether the woman had, in fact, called someone.
    Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Some frightened residents even abandoned their cars on one of the only roads in and out of the upscale Pacific Palisades area, fleeing on foot from the engulfing blaze.
    Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • As with most serious mountaineers, Viesturs is dismayed by the overcrowding now on Everest, the world's highest peak.
    Jim Clash, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • And Gi-hun is dismayed to find Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), his good friend and pub owner, among the green-tracksuited throng.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 26 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near alarm

Cite this Entry

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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