to alarm

Examples

• All

• OK, so there's already one thing which should alarm you about this, right?

• I'm sorry if I alarmed you, but he was acting very strange.

  The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

• I do not intend to alarm you, but I will not be doing any tricks tonight.

• I don't want to alarm you all, but this one has four wins in one.

• I don't want to alarm anyone, but I'm getting kind of scared.

  CreepCast

• There's nothing to be alarmed about.

  Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

• And as is the case even now, doctors became alarmed over the deterioration of the nation's mental health.

  Academic text (1995)

• Patients can be anxious and alarmed by their symptoms, often suspecting they have a serious medical condition.

  Academic text (2011)

• Sly's secretary appears in the doorway, alarmed to see her boss in this most undignified position.

  Fiction book (1992)

• I didn't mean to alarm you with my sudden departure, but I needed to leave quickly.

Synonyms

W

to worry

vsto alarm

∞ 1.0

To make someone feel nervous or upset about possible problems

causes both fear and anxiety about possible danger or problems

F

to frighten

vsto alarm

540 1.0

To make someone feel afraid

also covers worried anxiety about possible problems, not only sudden fear

D

to disturb

vsto alarm

153 2.5

Make someone feel deeply worried or upset

is more specific about fear or worry linked to possible danger

T

to terrify

vsto alarm

148 3.2

To make someone feel very frightened

is milder and includes anxious concern about potential danger as well

H

to horrify

vsto alarm

90 4.3

Make someone feel very shocked, afraid, or disgusted

focuses more on anxious worry about danger rather than strong shock

A

to appall

vsto alarm

64 5.5

To make someone feel shocked and very upset by something cruel or wrong

tends to produce worry or fear about danger rather than intense shock

D

to dismay

vsto alarm

37 4.4

Make someone feel shocked or worried by something unexpected

leans more toward fear or anxious concern about potential danger

F

to fright

vsto alarm

2 3.2

To make someone feel afraid

can also involve ongoing worry about possible problems rather than only shock

D

to disquiet

vsto alarm

1 7.3

To make someone feel worried or uneasy

adds clearer fear about possible danger rather than only unease

S

to sound a warning bell

vsto alarm

4.3

To warn people about a possible danger or serious problem

instead directly produces fear and anxious concern rather than only alerting

R

to ring a warning bell

vsto alarm

• Informal

5.4

Make someone think there may be a problem

tends to provoke clear fear or anxious response about danger not mere concern

Antonyms

C

to comfort

172 1.0

To make someone feel less upset or in pain

R

to reassure

163 3.4

To make someone feel less worried and more confident

Phrasal Verbs

S

to set my alarm

5 1.4

Make your phone or clock ring at a chosen time to wake you

D

to deactivate alarm

1 3.2

To turn an alarm off so it does not sound

Compounds

A

alarm clock

42 1.0

A clock that wakes you at a set time by making a sound

A

alarm system

36 2.5

A group of devices that warns you automatically about danger like fire or a break-in

F

fire alarm

31 1.0

A loud signal that warns people there is a fire or smoke

F

false alarm

23 3.5

A warning that something bad is happening when it is not

S

smoke alarm

13 2.2

A device that makes a loud noise when it finds smoke to warn people

B

burglar alarm

9 3.0

A device that makes a loud noise when someone breaks into a house or shop

A

alarm bell

7 2.2

A bell that rings to warn people of danger or an emergency

A

auto-alarm

• Specialized

1 7.1

A radio on a ship that automatically rings an alarm when it gets a distress signal

How Frightening

to terrify

148 3.2

to frighten

540 1.0

to alarm

133 1.9

to worry

∞ 1.0

to concern

218 2.7

Surface Forms

Etymology