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red alert

noun

: the final stage of alert in which enemy attack appears imminent
broadly : a state of alert brought on by impending danger

Examples of red alert in a Sentence

The troops have been put on red alert. the paparazzi were on red alert for sightings of the hot new Hollywood couple
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Losing Jackson for any more games would certainly put the franchise on a red alert situation, as Cooper Rush did not spark much confidence in his starts with Jackson out. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 On Saturday, the South and Grand’Anse regions of Haiti were both upgraded to red alerts by the National Disaster Risk Management System. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 The art community is on red alert. Lionel Laurent, Twin Cities, 24 Oct. 2025 The Sooners’ struggles of the past three years were a red alert that something had to change both on and off the field if this blue blood was going to stay one. Chris Vannini, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for red alert

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red alert was in 1941

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Cite this Entry

“Red alert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20alert. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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