alarming

1 of 2

adjective

alarm·​ing ə-ˈlär-miŋ How to pronounce alarming (audio)
Synonyms of alarmingnext
: 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

alarming

2 of 2

present participle of alarm entry 2

Synonyms of alarming

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Adjective

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Examples of alarming in a Sentence

Adjective an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
What may be alarming to proponents of data privacy is exciting for marketers. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026 And suddenly, Bianca’s disappearance became even more alarming. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026 Realizing his friend was losing blood at an alarming rate, Corle quickly attempted to stanch the flow. — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 For some supporters, there were alarming echoes of last year’s Hugo Ekitike ‘hijacking’. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alarming

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of alarm entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alarming was in 1658

Rhymes for alarming

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Browse Nearby Words

alarmer
alarming
alarmingly
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Cite this Entry

“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alarming. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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