# alarming

/əˈɫɑɹmɪŋ/ (US) · /ɐlˈɑːmɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alarming
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. worrying or frightening

adjective · CEFR B1

causing you to feel worried or afraid because something seems wrong or dangerous.

For teachers: causing apprehension, fear, or urgent concern; often used to describe statistics, trends, or sudden developments.

- The doctor said there was an alarming increase in cases of the flu this winter.
- The report revealed an alarming disparity between the projected revenue and the actual figures recorded during the final quarter.

## Examples

- The sudden drop in sales was alarming.
- The doctor found the test results alarming and ordered further checks.
- The alarming rate of deforestation in the Amazon basin has prompted urgent calls for international policy reform.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.