false alarm
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Both false alarms and true warnings will be improved by knowing the difference between a bad day on the mountain and a positive signal that a volcano is on the brink of eruption.
From Literature
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On occasion, clips of them confronting federal agents have spread on social media, but many of the tips they chase are false alarms.
From Barron's
Heat sensors, often installed in kitchens to avoid false alarms if you simply happen to burn the toast, generally sound when temperatures climb above roughly 50C.
From BBC
There are plenty of false alarms, carbon footprints and all, and the future is unknowable, but watch for symptoms.
The ShakeAlert system that warns about imminent shaking arriving from earthquakes sent a false alarm across California on Thursday morning for a magnitude 5.9 temblor that did not happen.
From Los Angeles Times
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.