alarm 1 of 2

variants also alarum
1
2
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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
Rights groups are sounding the alarm, saying it’s become a standard procedure increasingly used in the war. Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025 Rights groups are ringing the alarm, saying it’s become standard procedure increasingly used in the war. Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
Verb
Brunettes, blonds, mustached, clean-shaven, my patio-bar dates don’t seem to get it, and their answers have alarmed me — their apathy almost as alarming as outright hate. Hannah Benson, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025 With a new single racking up millions of streams, Kanye West is continuing to spread alarming antisemitic rhetoric. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for alarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
  • Cuban Americans in south Florida have long clamored for a firmer hand with Havana, and the recent apprehensions of Hernández and several other former Cuban officials for deportation have been extremely popular among the politically powerful exile community.
    Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • Amid rewards of $20,000 for tips leading to an apprehension, more than 200 law enforcement personnel led by the Louisiana State Police are seeking to capture them and anyone helping them.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • How to act during strong winds Take shelter: Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning or severe thunderstorm warning and move to an interior room or basement.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2025
  • The warning was issued at 8:22 a.m. on Wednesday, and the latest update about this incident was released on Wednesday at 8:38 a.m.
    Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Some of this fear is rooted in social comparison, but much of it is tied to daily concerns about funding retirement accounts and covering child care costs.
    Eliza Brooke, Vox, 23 May 2025
  • The employee, who did not want to be named out of fear of retaliation for speaking to the news media, said that the N.S.F.’s rigorous review process had been disassembled, and that political mandates had taken precedence over scientific merits when assessing grant proposals.
    Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • The employee said to not shoot the bear and advised him to call Public Safety to scare it away, officials said, adding that what likely attracted the bear to the man’s home were food items, including cat food and unclean grills.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 25 May 2025
  • This is the second bill DeSantis has signed in Florida on swatting, or making false police reports to scare victims by sending law enforcement to their home.
    Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • One thing Salmon didn’t have to worry about before Monday’s game was having support.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
  • In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.
    Time, Time, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Many of his followers are schoolboys — something that has sparked concern among educators worldwide.
    Willem Marx, NPR, 28 May 2025
  • While the insurance industry is not opposed to a study, the way this legislation is structured raises serious concerns.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • By sharing a visual insight into their space, Spencer hopes people won’t be frightened by the unknown.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, in the real world, Netflix’s release strategy continues to frighten and confuse.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Christiansen said he’s dismayed by the changing landscape of college athletics with the transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness) money, and every coach agonizes on how to spread 11.7 scholarships over a 35-man roster.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2025
  • There are, though, others dismayed by the decision.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 31 May. 2025.

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