alarm
/əˈlɑɹm/noun, verb
alarm is spelled A-L-A-R-M: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 19 times per million words in written English, the 4,444th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, alarm means “A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of alarm is alarms.
How many letters and syllables are in alarm?
| Letters | 5: A-L-A-R-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 19 times per million words; the 4,444th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is alarm?
Alarm appears 19 times per million words in written English, the 4,444th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce alarm?
- UK /əˈlɑːm/
- US /əˈlɑɹm/
- /əˈlɑ(rə)m/
Alarm has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-alarm.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with alarm?
10 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as alarm from its last stressed vowel (/ɑɹm/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: marla, malar, ramal.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of alarm
- alarms plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- alarum
- alarming participle, present
- alarmed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does alarm mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
- 2
Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
- 3
A device intended to warn or give notice of approaching danger.
The fire alarm is located high on the wall to prevent tampering.
- 4
A sudden attack; a disturbance.
- 5
Sudden surprise with fear or terror caused by the apprehension of danger; a feeling of heightened alertness to risk.
His actions caused alarm among all the other people in the store, who hurried to leave.
- 6
A mechanical device for awaking people or rousing their attention.
The clock radio is a friendlier version of the cold alarm by the bedside.
- 7
An instance of an alarm ringing, beeping or clanging, to give a noise signal at a certain time.
Last night's alarm turned out to be nothing, but it was terrifying at the time.
verb
- 1
To call to arms for defense.
- 2
To give (someone) notice of approaching danger or necessary action; to rouse to vigilance; to put on the alert.
The sudden drop in temperature should alarm you into taking precautions.
- 3
To produce a warning of approaching danger or necessary action; to emit a signal intended to rouse a recipient to vigilance or put them on the alert.
- 4
To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.
The loud bang in the hallway seemed to alarm everyone in the building.
- 5
To keep in excitement; to disturb.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Alarm in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | alarme , réveille-matin, réveil |
| German | Alarm , Wecker , Alarmsignal , Alarmstimmung , alarmieren , in Alarmstimmung versetzen |
| Portuguese | alarme , despertador , alarmar |
| Spanish | alarma, rebato , despertador , tocar a rebato, alamar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does alarm come from?
From Middle English alarme, alarom, borrowed from Middle French alarme, itself from Old Italian all'arme! (“to arms!, to the weapons!”), ultimately from Latin arma (“arms, weapons”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).