The fire alarm sounded.
Source: tatoeba (23848)
Alarm
/əˈlɑːm/
Synonyms for "alarm" (286 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (58)
Noun(16 words)
abject fearadmonishmentadmonitionaffrightaid to navigationalarumalertall clearamazeamber lightangelusangelus bellanxietyapprehensionarouseastonishawebalefirebattle crybeacon
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (85)
cry havoccry wolfcurdle the blooddauntdeterrent examplediscomfortdismaydisquietdistressdisturbdreadexampleexcitementfearfinal noticefinal warningfire bellflarefly storm warningsfog bell
Show 34 more words
fog signalfog whistlefoghornforewarningfrightfrightenfunkglancego lightgonggong buoygreen lightheliographhigh signhinthornhorrificationhorripilatehorrorhue and cryinternational alphabet flaginternational numeral pennantintimidatekickklaxonlast postleerlessonlighthousemake one tremblemarker beaconmaydaymenacemonition
Noun(17 words)
darkroomsdiscomfortingdismaydismaysdistressesexpression of concernfearfulnessfearsfeeling anxiousfire alarmfreak outfrightenfrightsfudshueinformkiller
Adjective(6 words)
Related words (143)
moose callmoralnervousnessnodnoticenotificationnudgeobject lessonpanicpanic fearparachute flareperturbpetrifyphobiapilot flagpokepolice whistleprenoticequarantine flagradio beacon
Show 82 more words
raise apprehensionsrallying cryrebel yellred flagred lightreveillerocketroman candlesailing aidscaresemaphoresemaphore flagsemaphore telegraphshakesignsignalsignal beaconsignal bellsignal firesignal flagsignal gongsignal gunsignal lampsignal lightsignal mastsignal postsignal rocketsignal shotsignal sirensignal towersirensolicitudesossound the alarmsound the tocsinspar buoyspookstaggerstampedestartlestop lightstrainstresssummonssurprisetapstensionterrifyterrorterrorizethe nodthe winkthreattip offtip-offtocsintouchtraffic lighttraffic signaltrepidationtroubletrumpet callultimatumuneasinessunholy dreadunmanunnerveunstringupsetverbum sapientiwar crywarnwarningwarning piecewatch firewhistlewhite flagwigwagwigwag flagwinkword to the wiseyellow flag
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: alert, warning device, abject fear, admonishment, admonition.
- Sentence evidence is available for alarm, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "alarm".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "alarm"
Keep "alarm" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "alarm" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "alarm", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "alarm" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesShowing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
15 entriesCollocations
8 entriesalarm bellalarm clockalarm systemfalse alarmfire alarmhome alarmpersonal alarmsecurity alarm
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
29 translations across 25 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- ала́рма noun (notice of approaching danger)
- трево́га noun (notice of approaching danger)
Catalan
1 entries- alarma noun (notice of approaching danger)
Dutch
2 entries- alarm noun (notice of approaching danger)
- alarmsignaal noun (notice of approaching danger)
Esperanto
1 entries- alarmo noun (notice of approaching danger)
Estonian
1 entries- häire noun (notice of approaching danger)
Finnish
1 entries- hälytys noun (notice of approaching danger)
Galician
1 entries- alarma noun (notice of approaching danger)
Georgian
1 entries- განგაში noun (notice of approaching danger)
German
2 entries- Alarm noun (notice of approaching danger)
- Alarmsignal noun (notice of approaching danger)
Greek
1 entries- συναγερμός noun (notice of approaching danger)
Hindi
1 entries- चेतावनी noun (notice of approaching danger)
Hungarian
1 entries- riadó noun (notice of approaching danger)
Italian
1 entries- allarme noun (notice of approaching danger)
Japanese
1 entries- 注意 noun (notice of approaching danger)
Macedonian
1 entries- тре́вога noun (notice of approaching danger)
Malay
1 entries- penggera noun (notice of approaching danger)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- alarm noun (notice of approaching danger)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- alarm noun (notice of approaching danger)
Old English
1 entries- wōma noun (notice of approaching danger)
Polish
1 entries- alarm noun (notice of approaching danger)
Portuguese
1 entries- alarme noun (notice of approaching danger)
Russian
1 entries- трево́га noun (notice of approaching danger)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- rabhadh noun (notice of approaching danger)
Spanish
2 entries- alarma noun (notice of approaching danger)
- rebato noun (notice of approaching danger)
Uzbek
1 entries- taxlika noun (notice of approaching danger)
Sample sentences
24 total sentences available.
The fire alarm rang.
Source: tatoeba (23849)
In case you sleep, set the alarm.
Source: tatoeba (30600)
Mayuko jumped up in alarm.
Source: tatoeba (32390)
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "alarm"?
Closest matches include alert, warning device, abject fear, admonishment, admonition.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "alarm"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.