alarmed

Alarmed is the past participle of the verb alarm and an adjective describing a state of fear, concern, or surprise caused by danger or uncertainty. When used to describe people or groups, it indicates they have become worried or unsettled by information or events: for example, residents were alarmed by reports of a wildfire. In grammatical terms, it can function as an adjective or as part of a passive construction, such as "The crowd was alarmed" or "The report alarmed many observers." The sense is typically of an emotional response to perceived threat rather than to actual harm.

The verb alarm means to fill with fear or to warn someone about danger. Its past participle, alarmed, is used to describe persons or situations that have been so affected. In some contexts, alarmed can indicate that a warning has been issued, such as a warning alert or official notice having been issued.

Etymology: The word originates from Old French alarme, from Italian all'arme (to arms), ultimately from Latin ad arma, literally "to arms." The modern use expands to describe both emotional responses and the activation of warning systems, though in technical contexts the preferred terms are alarm and alarm system rather than alarmed.

In everyday language, alarmed is common when discussing safety, news, or emergencies: it conveys a reaction to information signaling potential danger, not necessarily actual harm. Related terms include alarm, alarming, alert, and panic.