alarming 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈlär-miŋ How to pronounce alarming (audio)
Definition of alarmingnext
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

alarming

2 of 2

verb

variants also alaruming
present participle of alarm
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 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 alarming
Adjective
The oceans are warming at an alarming pace, bringing far-reaching consequences for which the world is unprepared, according to a report by more than 100 international scientists. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 Nonprofit leaders are reporting alarming burnout rates and more and more organizations are facing financial challenges that have spurred layoffs and, in some cases, closures. — Phil Buchanan, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
Found in many foods For consumers, of course, the latest food safety concerns can be alarming given that lettuce and jalapeño peppers are used in many of the roughly 1 billion meals Americans consume daily. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 In Orange County, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County maintains infectious-disease surveillance and disease-reporting services for residents and visitors, which is exactly how local systems stay ready without alarming the public. — Luis E. Caso Vega, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for alarming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarming
  1. terrifying
  2. frightening
  3. disturbing
  4. scary
  5. startling
  6. worrying
  7. formidable
  8. scaring
Adjective
  • As an actress, a character like that was thrilling and terrifying.
    — William Earl, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, Hersh was to miss the flight because he was still being held hostage, starving, tortured, and surviving on that date in terrifying confinement.
    — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
    — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • If anything, the University of Toronto researchers discovered, we humans are the ones disturbing our dogs’ sleep.
    — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
  • By mimicking the oarfish’s fluid control, Shepherd’s team aims to construct large, silent robotic monitors capable of observing fragile ocean ecosystems without ever disturbing the wildlife inside them.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Stephens celebrated in the immediate aftermath, and Moore was carted off in a scary scene.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These jack-o-lantern quesadillas with beans and cheddar are much easier — and less scary.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of scary
Verb
  • As if triggered by this thought, the door buzzed itself open, startling the pigeons from wire to wing, a grand scattering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of startling
Verb
  • With early voting already underway, a question worrying some voters is what role — if any — immigration enforcement officers might have at polling places through Election Day.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Cloud computing let businesses add capacity without worrying much about what sat behind it.
    — Anthony Milewski, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of worrying
Adjective
  • Guests lingered over cocktails, lauding Ghesquière’s formidable creative prowess, personal warmth and loyalty.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Let a Hundred Websites Bloom The Internet and the smartphone have become formidable tools for the Chinese government to maintain tight control over society.
    — Conor Heffernan, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of formidable
Verb
  • Although the pace of home sales have remained largely unchanged this year compared to last year, according to NAR data through August, there are some signs that higher mortgage rates have started scaring off some buyers.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • For their final lesson, a volunteer — who isn't Woodside or Priest — traps the raccoons in cages, scaring them enough to encourage them to avoid traps and humans.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of scaring

Browse Nearby Words

alarmed
alarming
alarmingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarming. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All