alarminga‧larm‧ing /əˈlɑːmɪŋ $ -ɑːr-/ ●●○ adjective 
an alarming increase in violent crime The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.—alarmingly adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Agricultural open space is disappearing at an alarming rate.
- An alarming number of young girls are worried about their weight.
- an alarming rise in crime
- Baggage seems to go missing with alarming frequency on these flights.
- Even more alarming is the increase in child porn sites on the Internet.
- It's alarming to think how many people are at risk.
- The epidemic is spreading at an alarming rate.
- The young girls she treats in alarming numbers are the victims of broken homes and parental neglect.
- There are no easy answers to the alarming number of mass killings taking place in our cities.
- Closer co-operation is needed to check an alarming trend.
- Counterfeiting is a multi million pound industry and all the signs are that it's growing at an alarming rate.
- Decisions can have alarming consequences and non-decisions can be fatal.
- Despite this rather alarming fact, essential oils are harmless to skin if used correctly as advocated in this book.
- Fuel is needed if you want to stay in the air because the Epical engines consume fuel at an alarming rate.
- In its report titled the Lost Land published today, it claims our countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.
Longman Language Activatordoing things quickly or happening quickly
doing things quickly or happening quickly , without taking much time: · She undressed quickly and got into bed.· It's important to realize how quickly this disease can spread.· Quickly fry the onions, then add the meat.
a quick movement or action is one that you do quickly or one that only takes a short time: · I'll just take a quick shower.· That was quick -- have you finished already?· I had to make a quick decision.be quick (=use this when you are telling someone to hurry): · You'll have to be quick - we don't have much time.
if you work, talk, or write fast , you do it quickly: · Don't talk so fast - I can't understand what you're saying.· We're working as fast as we can.
a rapid change, increase, or improvement is one that happens much more quickly than usual: · a rapid increase in the population· She made a rapid recovery after her operation.· Adolescence is a period of great and rapid change.
happening or done very quickly and without any delay: · Punishment of the protesters was swift and severe.· Swift fashion changes mean that the shop has to change its stock every six to eight weeks.
a speedy return, reply, reaction, etc is one that is done or made successfully, as quickly and efficiently as possible: · We are working to ensure the safe and speedy return of all the refugees to their homes.· Thousands of letters and telegrams arrived wishing Nikolai a speedy recovery from his surgery.
a prompt action, reply, delivery etc is one that is done without delay because quick action is needed: · A major disaster was prevented by the prompt action of the safety officer.· It is important to ensure prompt delivery of goods that customers order.
: meteoric rise/career achieving success extremely quickly and suddenly: · The film tells the story of Lee's meteoric rise from North Dakota radio singer to jazz legend.
if something happens at an alarming rate , it happens so quickly that it makes people very worried: · The Amazonian rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.· The number of people dying from lung cancer has increased at an alarming rate.
use this to say that something happens extremely quickly and suddenly, so that you almost do not notice what is happening: · He was gone in a flash.· In a flash Atticus was up and standing over him.· Joel slipped but was on his feet in a flash.
making you feel worried also worrisome American · The possibility that I might lose my job is very worrying.· It must have been a worrying time for you.it's worrying that/when etc · It's always a little worrisome when a company is praised for making a smaller loss than expected.· a worrying upsurge in violence
a stressful job or situation makes you feel worried and tired all the time, for example because you have too many problems or too much work to do: · Looking after small children can be very stressful.· What's the most stressful aspect of your job?· It was a stressful time for the whole family.
: anxious time/wait/hours etc a time during which you feel worried and nervous, because the situation is dangerous and you do not know what is going to happen: · For one anxious moment, I thought the rope was going to break.· After an anxious wait, Audrey was told her father had died. · In the anxious days that followed, Henry tried to keep his mind off his results.
changing or increasing in a way that is worrying and frightening: · Even more alarming is the increase in child porn sites on the Internet.· an alarming rise in crimeit's alarming that/when etc: · It's alarming to think how many people are at risk.alarming rate/number: · The epidemic is spreading at an alarming rate.· There are no easy answers to the alarming number of mass killings taking place in our cities.in alarming numbers: · The young girls she treats in alarming numbers are the victims of broken homes and parental neglect.at an alarming rate: · Agricultural open space is disappearing at an alarming rate.with alarming frequency/regularity: · Baggage seems to go missing with alarming frequency on these flights.
a situation or time that is tense makes you feel worried and nervous that something bad might happen at any time: · The atmosphere in the waiting room was extremely tense.· In the program, the hostages re-live the tense days they spent under guard in East Africa.· In the tense silence that followed, the boys fidgeted uneasily.tense face/expression etc: · Her tone was anxious now, her face tense.
: niggling feeling/worry/doubt etc something that continues to worry you, even though you do not really want to think about it: · The suspect seemed to have proved his innocence, but a niggling doubt remained in my mind.· I couldn't shake off a niggling worry. Had I forgotten to lock the office door?
making people worried about dangers that do not really exist: · I do not wish to be alarmist, but the situation in the region is worse than it has been in many months.· The ambassador dismissed these views as excessively alarmist.· alarmist propaganda
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Businesses come and go with alarming frequency. Our team kept losing with monotonous regularity (=in a way that seems boring or annoying).
making you feel worried or frightened SYN disturbing: The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate. Businesses come and go with alarming frequency.· The alarming rate of increase in pollution levels has concerned environmentalists.
Our team kept losing with monotonous regularity (=in a way that seems boring or annoying).· I have detected a worrying trend of late.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· In a different and much more alarming category is the fate of the Soviet industry.
NOUN· Fuel is needed if you want to stay in the air because the Epical engines consume fuel at an alarming rate.· Wicker waste paper baskets and bathroom sponges are guaranteed to be disintegrated at an alarming rate if left in the open.· Fashions change at an alarming rate and at any given time experts hold differing views.· Counterfeiting is a multi million pound industry and all the signs are that it's growing at an alarming rate.· Car use is increasing at an alarming rate.· Jobs are now disappearing at an alarming rate.· Mark Moore seems to be shedding vocalists at an alarming rate.· In its report titled the Lost Land published today, it claims our countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.
an alarming increase in violent crime The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.—alarmingly adverb