- Do you ever feel unsure if you should “make an alarm” or “sound an alarm”?
- Have you wondered whether you “give alarm” or “cause alarm” when you’re worried about something?
- Does your English sometimes feel a bit “off” when using words like “alarm,” even if you know what they mean?
Understanding collocations—words that naturally go together—is one of the most significant steps toward achieving true fluency in English. Instead of translating word-for-word from your native language, learning common word partnerships like those with “alarm” helps you sound more natural, improve your comprehension, and reduce the common “language anxiety” many learners face. Let’s unlock the power of these essential pairings!
Common Collocations with ALARM as a Noun
The word “alarm” is frequently used as a noun, referring to a warning sound, a device, or a feeling of fear or worry. Here are its most common partners:
Devices and Signals
These collocations describe different types of alarm systems or the act of triggering them.
- Fire alarm: A device that makes a loud noise to warn of fire.
Example: The fire alarm went off, and everyone quickly evacuated the building.
- Smoke alarm: A device that detects smoke and emits a warning sound.
Example: You should test your smoke alarm batteries monthly.
- Burglar alarm / Security alarm: A system designed to detect intruders and alert people.
Example: The loud wailing of the burglar alarm startled the whole neighborhood.
- Car alarm: A security device in a car that makes a loud noise if someone tries to break in.
Example: My car alarm keeps going off unexpectedly, and I need to get it checked.
- Carbon monoxide alarm: A device that detects the presence of carbon monoxide gas.
Example: It’s crucial to have a carbon monoxide alarm in your home, especially near gas appliances.
- Silent alarm: An alarm that alerts authorities without making a sound at the location.
Example: The bank teller discreetly pressed the silent alarm when the robbery suspect entered.
- False alarm: An alarm that is activated unnecessarily or by mistake.
Example: Luckily, it was just a false alarm; there was no actual fire.
Actions Related to Alarms (Devices/Signals)
These collocations describe what happens to an alarm or what you do with it.
- Set an alarm: To program an alarm clock or system to go off at a specific time or condition.
Example: Don’t forget to set an alarm for 6 AM if you want to catch your flight.
- Sound an alarm / Raise an alarm: To make an alarm go off, or to warn people about danger.
Example: The guard quickly sounded the alarm when he spotted the intruder.
Example: Experts began to raise an alarm about the potential health risks.
- Trigger an alarm / Activate an alarm: To cause an alarm system to start making noise.
Example: The cat accidentally triggered the alarm when it jumped onto the windowsill.
- An alarm goes off / An alarm rings / An alarm blares: What happens when an alarm activates.
Example: My phone alarm goes off every morning at seven.
Example: The school bell, acting as an alarm, rang loudly.
Example: The emergency siren blared across the town.
- Silence an alarm / Turn off an alarm / Disable an alarm: To stop an alarm from making noise.
Example: Please silence your alarm before it wakes everyone up.
- Respond to an alarm: To take action because an alarm has gone off.
Example: The security team was quick to respond to the alarm.
- Ignore an alarm: To choose not to react to a warning signal.
Example: You should never ignore a smoke alarm, even if you think it’s a false alarm.
Feelings of Worry or Fear
These collocations describe the emotional state of alarm.
- Cause alarm / Create alarm: To make people feel worried or frightened.
Example: The sudden drop in stock prices began to cause alarm among investors.
- Spread alarm: To communicate worry or fear to others.
Example: The sensational headlines only served to spread alarm unnecessarily.
- A sense of alarm / A feeling of alarm: The emotion of worry or fear.
Example: There was a palpable sense of alarm in the room as the news broke.
- Express alarm: To show or voice one’s worry.
Example: Many citizens began to express alarm over the proposed new policy.
Essential Collocations using ALARM as a Verb
When “alarm” is used as a verb, it means to make someone feel worried, anxious, or frightened. It often appears in the passive voice.
To Make Someone Worried/Frightened
- Alarm someone: To cause someone to feel fear or worry.
Example: The strange noise in the middle of the night alarmed me.
- Deeply alarm / Greatly alarm / Seriously alarm: To cause a strong feeling of worry or fear.
Example: The sudden decline in the patient’s condition deeply alarmed the doctors.
- Be alarmed by / at / about: To feel worried or frightened by something (passive voice).
Example: I was alarmed by the news of the recent cyber-attack.
Example: Many people were alarmed at the rapid spread of the virus.
Example: Parents are often alarmed about the amount of screen time their children have.
- Nothing alarms me: To be unfazed or fearless.
Example: After years of working in emergency services, almost nothing alarms him anymore.
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm | Noun + Noun | Device detecting fire |
| Set an alarm | Verb + Noun | Program an alarm clock/system |
| Sound an alarm | Verb + Noun | Activate a warning signal or warn others |
| An alarm goes off | Noun + Verb | An alarm activates/rings |
| False alarm | Adjective + Noun | An unnecessary or mistaken alarm |
| Cause alarm | Verb + Noun | Make someone worried/frightened |
| Be alarmed by | Verb (passive) + Preposition | To feel worried or frightened by something |
| Deeply alarm | Adverb + Verb | To cause strong worry or fear |
| Burglar alarm | Noun + Noun | Device detecting intruders |
| Silence an alarm | Verb + Noun | Stop an alarm from making noise |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
One of the best ways to improve your fluency is to recognize and correct common translation errors. Here’s how to avoid some typical mistakes when using “alarm.”
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Make an alarm | Set an alarm (for a clock/device) |
| Give alarm to someone | Cause alarm (for a situation) OR Alarm someone (as a verb) |
| The alarm made noise | The alarm went off / The alarm rang |
| I am alarm about this | I am alarmed about this (use passive verb form with preposition) |
| A lying alarm | A false alarm |
| Close an alarm | Turn off an alarm / Silence an alarm |
“The morning started with my phone alarm going off at 6 AM, signaling a busy day ahead. Later, at the office, the news of unexpected market fluctuations began to cause alarm among the investors. Our CEO, however, remained calm, urging everyone not to spread unnecessary alarm. He assured us it was likely a false alarm and that he would investigate before we allowed ourselves to be too alarmed by the initial reports. Still, as I left work, I couldn’t help but think about how important it is to have good security. I decided to check that I had properly set the security alarm at home before going to bed.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Alarm Collocations
What is the difference between “set an alarm” and “sound an alarm”?
To set an alarm means to program an alarm clock or a security system to activate at a specific time or under certain conditions. For example, “I set my alarm for 7 AM.” To sound an alarm means for the alarm itself to make a noise, or for a person to raise a warning. For instance, “The fire alarm sounded an alarm throughout the building,” or “The residents sounded an alarm about the proposed construction.”
Can “alarm” be used with different prepositions, and what do they mean?
Yes, “alarm” as a verb (often in the passive voice) commonly uses prepositions like “by,” “at,” and “about.” You are alarmed by something that causes the fear or worry (e.g., “She was alarmed by the sudden silence”). You can be alarmed at a situation or development (e.g., “The government was alarmed at the rising unemployment figures”). You can be alarmed about a general concern or issue (e.g., “Parents are often alarmed about their children’s safety online”).
Is “false alarm” only for physical alarms, or can it be used metaphorically?
While “false alarm” literally refers to an alarm device going off unnecessarily (e.g., “The smoke detector went off, but it was a false alarm from burnt toast”), it is very commonly used metaphorically. It refers to a warning or scare that turns out to be baseless or not serious. For example, “The news report of an alien invasion turned out to be a complete false alarm.”
How is “cause alarm” different from “alarm someone”?
Both phrases convey making someone worried, but they differ grammatically and in nuance. “Cause alarm” uses “alarm” as a noun, and it often refers to a situation or event creating a general sense of worry (e.g., “The economic downturn began to cause alarm across the nation”). “Alarm someone” uses “alarm” as a transitive verb, directly affecting a specific person or group (e.g., “The politician’s comments alarmed many voters”). The verb form is more direct.
Are “raise an alarm” and “sound an alarm” interchangeable?
They are largely interchangeable when referring to drawing attention to a danger or problem. “Sound an alarm” can be used for both a physical device making noise (e.g., “The buzzer sounded an alarm“) and for a person warning others (e.g., “Scientists began to sound an alarm about climate change”). “Raise an alarm” is almost exclusively used for people warning others about a concern or potential danger (e.g., “She raised an alarm about the lack of safety precautions”).
I love the 'language anxiety' mention. Learning these pairs actually makes me feel much more confident when speaking.
That makes us so happy to hear, Mei-ling! Confidence comes from knowing your words 'fit' together correctly.
Is 'alarming news' a common phrase? I see it in newspapers a lot.
Thank you for this! Could you do a post about collocations with 'Clock' next? I always mix up 'set' and 'wind up.'
That's a brilliant idea, Aisha! We'll add 'Clocks and Time' to our editorial calendar. Stay tuned!
In Germany, we have very specific rules for fire alarms. Is 'fire drill' a collocation related to this?
If I am late because my phone didn't make a sound, do I say 'My alarm didn't go off'?
This helps me understand why 'make an alarm' sounded so weird to my English teacher. Collocations are hard but so important.
We totally understand, Ji-hu! Collocations are like the 'glue' of a language. Once you learn them, you stop thinking about individual words and start thinking in phrases.
Does 'alarmed' always take the preposition 'by'? Like 'I was alarmed by the noise'?
I've heard people say 'the alarm is ringing' and 'the alarm is going off.' Are they interchangeable?
Hi Aris! 'Ringing' is fine, but 'going off' is much more common for electronic alarms. If it's an old-fashioned bell, 'ringing' works perfectly!
The example with 'smoke alarm' stopped early! I'd love to see the rest of that example sentence.
What is the opposite of 'set an alarm'? Is it 'unset' or 'turn off'?