ALARM Synonyms: 238 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

alarm 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈlärm

variants also alarum

Definition of alarm

as in dread

suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune observed with alarm the man staggering toward the edge of the cliff

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in warning

the act or an instance of telling beforehand of danger or risk in a daring midnight ride Paul Revere gave the alarm that British troops were approaching

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in fear

the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger filled with alarm when the flood waters reached their front steps

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarum

as in to scare

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

as in to concern

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP campaign arm, in a memo last week raised alarm about Brown's use of data centers to attack Husted in the Ohio race, and acknowledged the strategy is working. — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Many flood-prone valleys in the country have warning alarms, but as NPR has reported, the government has struggled to keep up with the cost of maintaining the systems. — Ava Berger, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

The New York Times has begun testing its first generative AI tool for readers, a step the publication hopes will improve its troubled search feature but which has also alarmed some of the paper’s journalists. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026 A couple days ago, as the media frenzy continued, Wolff decided to release full letters that Harp had sent to Trump during his last Presidential campaign, missives that had reportedly alarmed the Secret Service. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alarm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm

Noun

The joy Lisa has with her RHUGT cast compared with the dread her RHOSLC cast seems to bring her really bums me out — especially because of how much of this trip is championing the sisterhood of Housewives.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Along with this came the profound dread that straight white men (like me) felt about saying a single wrong sentence and facing the possibility of permanent exile without forgiveness.

— Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Less pleading and more of a warning, Beyoncé’s version of the beloved hit features different lyrics and an introduction that directly references the original track.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
The letter adds to a growing chorus of warnings about the dangers associated with advanced AI and comes shortly after a series of high-profile incidents in which flagship models tested by Anthropic and OpenAI breached testing safeguards.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of warning

Noun

As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
The announcement is spurring fears of a fresh wave of Canadian travelers steering clear of the US.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of fear

Verb

That's a step in the right direction as far as we're concerned, because Jim Cramer has been after Nvidia to institute an Apple-style stock repurchase strategy.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
The artificial-intelligence titan resisted Pentagon demands concerning uses of its technology that included mass surveillance and autonomous lethal weapons.

— Scott M. Curran, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of concern

Noun

Solar attracted the most investment among renewable energy subsectors during the first six months of the year as countries rush to build capacity as worries grow that global wars will continue squeezing energy supplies.

— Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Research shows, however, that the public is always a little bit concerned about corruption, and that these worries often do not correspond with particular actions by politicians.

— Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of worry

Verb

The aggressive approach deeply disrupted and frightened the participants.

— Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frighten

Cite this Entry

Style

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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