alarming
adjective
alarm·ing
ə-ˈlär-miŋ 
: 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
adverb
ə-ˈlär-miŋ-lē
an alarmingly high rate of infection
Synonyms
Examples of alarming in a Sentence
an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst
Recent Examples on the Web
The page with the alarming weights was later removed altogether, the report said.
—
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
In recent months, the staff there has been busy coordinating with state and federal agencies in response to the alarming spread of bird flu in the U.S., as the virus jumped from chickens and cows to farm workers.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025
In years past, the department often paid outgoing shifts overtime to stay at work in times of alarming wind forecasts and tinder-dry conditions.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Public opinion gradually turned against big-tech platforms, and my offline status no longer seemed so alarming.
—Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for alarming 
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.
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
In recent months, the staff there has been busy coordinating with state and federal agencies in response to the alarming spread of bird flu in the U.S., as the virus jumped from chickens and cows to farm workers.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025
In years past, the department often paid outgoing shifts overtime to stay at work in times of alarming wind forecasts and tinder-dry conditions.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Public opinion gradually turned against big-tech platforms, and my offline status no longer seemed so alarming.
—Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for alarming
Dictionary Entries Near alarming
Cite this Entry
“Alarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alarming. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share