Alarmism

/əˈlɑr.mɪz.əm/ noun

Definition

A tendency or practice of causing unnecessary alarm; the habit of raising unwarranted concerns or exaggerating dangers.

Etymology

From alarm plus the suffix -ism (denoting a practice, system, or ideology), similar to how we get words like activism or pessimism.

Kelly Says

Climate scientists actually struggle against 'alarmism' accusations when they report real data—critics use the word to dismiss valid warnings as exaggeration, making it harder for people to know what's genuinely dangerous.

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