Alarms (plural noun) refer to devices or signals that warn of danger or an impending issue, such as fire alarms or security alarms. The term can also function as a verb in phrases like “alarms everyone,” but here it denotes plural devices. In everyday use, it often appears in safety, workplace, and alerting contexts, signaling urgency or precaution.
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"The office tested the alarms to ensure everyone could evacuate quickly."
"Fire alarms sounded loudly as the building filled with smoke."
"Security alarms deter intruders and alert the homeowners via a mobile app."
"We installed new smoke alarms and replaced the old batteries."
The word alarm comes from the Old French alarme, derived from the Italian all’arme, meaning ‘to arms’ or ‘to arms!’—a summons to prepare for action. The sense evolved from a military warning to a general signal of danger. The plural alarms likely formed in English through regular pluralization of the noun, referring to multiple signals or devices. The earliest English usage appears in the 16th century with references to alarms in military or maritime contexts, where bells or signals warned crews of danger. Over time, alarm broadened to include mechanical and electronic warning systems for homes, buildings, and vehicles. By the 19th and 20th centuries, alarm as a term encompassed various devices—fire alarms, burglar alarms, and warning sirens—emphasizing rapid alerting and response. In modern English, alarms are ubiquitous in safety protocols, with the word frequently appearing in technical manuals, law enforcement, and consumer electronics. The plural form focuses on the existence of multiple signaling devices or instances of warning across settings.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "alarms" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "alarms"
-lms sounds
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Alarms is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: ə-LARMS. The first syllable is a schwa /ə/, the second is /lɑːr/ in US and UK, followed by /mz/ as a voiced final cluster. In IPA: US /əˈlɑːrmz/, UK /əˈlɑːmz/, AU /əˈlɑːmz/. Keep the /l/ light and the /ɑː/ as a long open back vowel; end with /mz/ where /m/ is bilabial and /z/ is voiced. Visualize your mouth slightly opening for /ɑː/ and finishing with a crisp /z/ after /m/. Audio reference: feel free to compare to your device’s alarm tone as a matching rhythm cue.
Two common errors: 1) Incorrect stress—people may say /əˈlærms/ with the stress shifting to the first syllable; fix by keeping primary stress on the second syllable /lɑːr/. 2) De-voicing the final /z/ as /s/ or omitting the /z/ strongly, producing /m̩s/ or /mz/ with a hiss. Practice by holding the /z/ in the final cluster as a voiced fricative immediately after /m/. Ensure the vowel is a long /ɑː/ and not a short /æ/. Recheck with a native speaker or your recording to hear the difference.
In US English /əˈlɑːrmz/, the rhotacized /ɹ/ is prominent and the /ɑː/ is long. UK English often has /əˈlɑːmz/ with a clear /z/ end and less rhoticity in some regions but typically rhotic; the /ɑː/ vowel remains long, and the /r/ may be less pronounced in non-rhotic areas. Australian English tends to preserve the /ɹ/ with a slightly broader diphthongization in /ɑː/, but still ends with /mz/. The vowel quality remains similar across dialects, but rhoticity and vowel length can subtly shift. Listen for the final /z/ and make sure it’s voiced in all accents.
Two challenges: 1) Final voiced /z/ after /m/ can be tricky; keep the mouth closed for /m/ and then quickly voice /z/ as a separate sound. 2) Long /ɑː/ in the stressed syllable requires sustaining the open jaw position while transitioning to /r/ and then the /m/ and /z/. People often shorten /ɑː/ or insert a vowel between /l/ and /ɑː/; avoid that by keeping /lɑːr/ as a tight, single syllable.
In the standalone plural alarms, the primary stress is on the second syllable: ə-LARMS. In phrases like ‘fire alarms’ or ‘sound the alarms,’ stress patterns stay on the second word or adapt to the phrase’s rhythm; the adjective preceding it may take stress, while ‘alarms’ retains its second-syllable emphasis. Practicing in context helps you retain the natural emphasis in connected speech.
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