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

ə-ˈlär-miŋ-lē

adverb

an alarmingly high rate of infection

Synonyms

• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• fearsome
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightening
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• intimidating
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

Examples of alarming in a Sentence

an alarming rise in her fever, causing the doctor to fear the worst

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite the alarming classification, there is no reason for panic. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 27 June 2024

These are alarming developments for a documentary field predicated on democratic values, right to free speech, and holding the powerful to account. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 27 June 2024

But what’s most alarming is that some employers use it as a scare tactic to signal to current employees that they could be replaced at any time. —Alena Botros, Fortune, 26 June 2024

Many are women and children and an alarming increase in the number of elderly are particularly at risk. —Emilio "emi" Benitez, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of alarm entry 2

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined above