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.
This misinterpretation activates the cell's innate immune system, creating a false alarm that can lead to inflammation and disease.
From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026
Historical records reveal there were several close calls in the early ’80s, including the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm that could have triggered a nuclear war.
From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026
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 • Dec. 22, 2025
However, at 06:38 on Friday, he explained the "unknown vessel" was a false alarm.
From BBC • Aug. 8, 2025
I laughed with them, at Teacher Li who had not made the message clear, at my own fears, at the whole false alarm.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
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