Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
alarmism

alarmism

4 8.1
Making dangers seem worse than they are to make people worried for no reason
  • noun
  • /əˈlɑrmɪzəm/
: alarmismo
  • The report criticized the alarmism surrounding the potential health risks of the new vaccine.

And what maybe is, is that a case study of how alarmism can turn into a productive, constructive policy?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I'm not impressed with the current right-wing alarmism masquerading as bravery.

    Blog text (2)

  • And my second and last point is that alarmism, defensiveness and the alienation of public support are clearly related.

    Harvard University

  • Why environmental Alarmism Hurts us all.

  • The economic cost of climate alarmism was about $99 billion in 2009, and lots more since.

    Blog text (30)

  • Nearly everyone I know thinks media alarmism is not only way over the top, it's also patronizing and stupid.

    Blog text (30)

  • We note a distinct revival of alarmism on the Oz scene after a long lull.

    Blog text (20)

  • But climate alarmism is completely anti-science, and it would be dishonest to promote climate alarmism.

    Blog text (12)

  • As Europe's unwieldy confederal mechanisms lumber forward, however, American elites must avoid alarmism.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The media's sensationalism about climate change often leads to alarmism that creates unnecessary fear among the public.

  • Some believe that political alarmism exaggerates risks to gain public attention and support.

Synonyms

fearmongering
vsalarmism
1 7.5

Trying to make people afraid to influence their views

relies on broad exaggeration of dangers rather than targeted influence
scaremongering
vsalarmism
1 7.8

Made to cause fear by giving exaggerated or false information

focuses on issuing excessive warnings to cause public concern

How Alarmist

hysteria
82 6.1
alarmism
4 8.1
calmness
11 2.7

Surface Forms

alarmism singular
alarmisms plural

Morphology

alarmism = alarm (transparent) = alarm + ism

The noun is formed by adding the productive suffix '-ism' to 'alarm' to denote a practice or tendency of causing alarm, which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Alarmism comes from the word alarm and the ending -ism; alarm began as a battle cry from Old Italian all'arme, meaning 'to the arms!', so it has always meant a warning, and -ism names a practice or belief, as in heroism. So, alarmism is the practice of giving too many warnings or causing needless panic.