false alarm

noun

: an alarm (such as a fire or burglar alarm) that is set off needlessly

: something causing alarm or excitement that proves to be unfounded

Examples of false alarm in a Sentence

A false alarm drew firefighters to the school. The report that the factory would be closing was a false alarm. He thought he might be having a heart attack, but his chest pains were just a false alarm.

Recent Examples on the Web But one recent sighting of a wolf-like animal trio in that area turned out to be a false alarm, after an investigation and a round of genetic tests revealed that the creatures are almost surely coyotes, the Nevada Department of Wildlife said. —

Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 15 May 2024 Bevers suggests that older women talk with their doctors about the benefits of screening, as well as harms like false alarms and unnecessary biopsies. —

Carla K. Johnson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for false alarm

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'false alarm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.