false alarm
noun
1
: an alarm (such as a fire or burglar alarm) that is set off needlessly
2
: something causing alarm or excitement that proves to be unfounded
Examples of false alarm in a Sentence
A false alarm drew firefighters to the school.
The report that the factory would be closing was a false alarm.
He thought he might be having a heart attack, but his chest pains were just a false alarm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Longer term residents, after having experienced numerous false alarms and near misses like Irma in 2017, may be similarly unprepared for a direct hit.
—
Terry Spencer, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2024
The charges include disrupting public service, making false alarms, committing telecommunications harassment, committing aggravated menacing and violating the prohibition against complicity.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 24 Sep. 2024
The Alliance alleges Vance and Trump disrupted public service, made false alarms, committed telecommunications harassment, committed aggravating menacing and violated the complicity statute.
—Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
It can’t be ignored, because many of the alerts are not false alarms.
—Michelle Castillo, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for false alarm 
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Terry Spencer, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2024
The charges include disrupting public service, making false alarms, committing telecommunications harassment, committing aggravated menacing and violating the prohibition against complicity.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 24 Sep. 2024
The Alliance alleges Vance and Trump disrupted public service, made false alarms, committed telecommunications harassment, committed aggravating menacing and violated the complicity statute.
—Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
It can’t be ignored, because many of the alerts are not false alarms.
—Michelle Castillo, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for false alarm
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Dictionary Entries Near false alarm
Cite this Entry
“False alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/false%20alarm. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
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