Synonyms for alarming
- adjective
Most common
scary terrifying dreadful startling disturbing frightening troubling frightful
All synonyms
Adjective
scary, terrifying, startling, dreadful, frightful, disturbing, frightening, troubling, worrisome, unsettling, disquieting, horrifying, ominous, fearful, dismaying, grim, distressing, serious, terrible, awful, threatening, gruesome, horrible, worrying, formidable, chilling, portentous, menacing, grisly, horrid, ugly, daunting, concerning, terrific, dread, distressful, appalling, horrific, dire, ghastly, atrocious, perturbing, macabre, fearsome
Definitions
- adj. 1
Causing apprehension, fear or alarm; frightening.
Related words
- Is a kind of
- moving unpleasant
Choose the right word
Awful should not be used of things which are merely disagreeable or annoying, nor of all that are alarming and terrible, but only of such as bring a solemn awe upon the soul, as in the presence of a superior power; as, the awful hush before the battle.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- scary Was it scary for you to live in the United States?
- terrifying Ziri listened to one of Rima's terrifying stories.
- dreadful Something dreadful has happened to Miss Davidson.
- startling Ziri's balloon popped suddenly, startling everyone.
- disturbing Bodybuilders that are so muscular look disturbing.
- frightening I was terrified of receiving a frightening answer.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| alarming | steady | |
| scary | rising | |
| terrifying | rising | |
| dreadful | rising | |
| startling | steady | |
| disturbing | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- ugly2, grim1, dire1
- 5 letters
- awful2, scary2, dread1
- 6 letters
- horrid2, grisly2
- 7 letters
- serious3, fearful2, ominous3, ghastly2, macabre3
- 8 letters
- terrible3, horrible3, worrying3, terrific3, horrific3, dreadful2, chilling2, daunting2, gruesome2, menacing3, fearsome2
- 9 letters
- troubling3, appalling3, startling2, atrocious3, worrisome3, frightful2, dismaying3
- 10 letters
- concerning3, terrifying4, disturbing3, formidable4, horrifying4, unsettling4, portentous3, perturbing3
- 11 letters
- threatening3, frightening3, distressing3, disquieting4, distressful
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ugly2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- alarmant
- Italiano
- allarmante
- Español
- alarmante