alarm
gb/əlˈɑɹm/ us/əlˈɑɹm/
A2
English
~ 4200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Device giving warning signal
A machine that makes a loud sound to warn you or to tell you it is time for something.
Usage pattern:
set [an alarm] for [a time]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'alarm' (device) with 'alert' (message or state of readiness).
Synonyms
alert (Often used for any kind of warning system, not just physical devices.)
Antonyms
silence (Refers to turning off or removing the sound of an alarm.)
Collocations
alarm clock
|set an alarm
|fire alarm
|car alarm
|burglar alarm
Themes
daily life
|safety
|technology
|daily_life
Examples
- I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m.
- The smoke alarm went off in the kitchen.
- The car alarm started blaring when someone touched the door.
- She forgot to turn off her alarm before the weekend.
- The fire alarm alerted everyone in the building.
Learner examples
- My alarm rings at seven.
- The fire alarm is very loud.
- I need a new alarm clock.
- The alarm tells me when to wake up.
Noun
B1
state
2
Fear caused by sudden danger
A sudden strong feeling of fear or worry because something bad might happen.
Usage pattern:
cause [someone] alarm
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'alert' as a warning rather than a feeling.
Synonyms
fear (A general term for being afraid; 'alarm' suggests suddenness and urgency.)
Antonyms
calm (The absence of fear or worry.)
Collocations
look of alarm
|cause alarm
|express alarm
Themes
emotions
|safety
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She looked at him in alarm when he shouted.
- There was growing public alarm over the spread of the disease.
- He felt a surge of alarm when he heard the explosion.
- Her sudden cry caused great alarm among the passengers.
Learner examples
- He shouted in alarm.
- I felt alarm when I saw the fire.
- The news caused alarm in the town.
Verb
B1
action
3
Cause someone to feel afraid suddenly
To make someone suddenly feel fear or worry.
Usage pattern:
alarm [someone] with [something]
Synonyms
frighten ('Frighten' can be less urgent; 'alarm' often suggests unexpectedness.)
Antonyms
reassure (To remove fear or worry.)
Collocations
deeply alarmed
|alarmed by news
Themes
emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The sudden noise alarmed the children.
- She was alarmed by the rapid change in his condition.
- The report has alarmed many investors.
Learner examples
- The loud sound alarmed me.
- The news alarmed my parents.
- I was alarmed by the smoke.
Grammar
Dictionary form
alarm
IPA
GB/əlˈɑɹm/
US/əlˈɑɹm/
Syllables & stress
alarm (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: alarm
- Plural: alarm, alarms
Verb
- Base: alarm
- 3rd Person Singular: alarms
- Present Participle: alarming
- Past: alarmed
Word family
Forms
Related words
alarmingly
adverb
Advanced or less common
alarmist
noun
Expressions
raise the alarm
1/ɹˈeɪz ðə əlˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
Warn others about danger
To tell people there is danger so they can act quickly.
Examples
- A villager raised the alarm when he saw smoke coming from the forest.
- She raised the alarm after noticing the intruder in the building.
set off an alarm
1/sˈɛt ˈɔf ən əlˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
Make an alarm start working
To cause a warning device to start making noise or giving a signal.
Examples
- Opening that door will set off the alarm.
- The burglars set off the car alarm as they tried to break in.
sound the alarm
1/sˈaʊnd ðə əlˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
Start an alarm or give warning
To make an alarm start making noise, or to tell people about danger publicly.
Examples
- The guard sounded the alarm when he saw the fire.
- Scientists are sounding the alarm about climate change.
false alarm
1/fˈɔls əlˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
Untrue warning or alert
A warning or call for help that turns out not to be real.
Examples
- We evacuated the building, but it was a false alarm.
- The smoke turned out to be from a barbecue—it was a false alarm.
- The smoke detector went off, but it was just a false alarm.
- We evacuated for nothing; it was a false alarm.