alarm
/əˈlɑɹm/
nounverb
Core
1.n.fear resulting from the awareness of danger
2.n.a device that signals the occurrence of some undesirable event
3.n.an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
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alarm and alert share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. alarm means “fear resulting from the awareness of danger”. alert means “condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action”. alarm is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈlɑɹm/
1.n.fear resulting from the awareness of danger
2.n.a device that signals the occurrence of some undesirable event
3.n.an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
/əˈlɝt/
1.n.condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action
“bombers were put on alert during the crisis”
2.n.a warning serves to make you more alert to danger
3.n.an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
| alarm | alert | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈlɑɹm/ | /əˈlɝt/ |
| Said | uh-LAHRM | uh-LURT |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, adjective, verb |
| Senses | 6 | 7 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | dismay, consternation | qui vive |
Full entry for alarm · Full entry for alert · More comparisons