rude awakening

noun

: surprising and unpleasant discovery that one is mistaken

He thinks he can get by without doing any work, but he is in for a rude awakening.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

If broadcast Pilot Season is any indicator, the Peak TV numbers are in for a rude awakening. —Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2023

Yet anyone under the impression that zombies will be shuffling off AMC – to Buffalo or anywhere else – are in for a rude awakening. —Brian Lowry, CNN, 2 Oct. 2022

Even for the many who voted for him, the specter of this coalition has served as a rude awakening. —Time, 10 Jan. 2023

Ohio State’s front seven is going to be a rude awakening. —cleveland, 25 Nov. 2022

Thus, the Falcons could be in for a rude awakening in this game. —Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2022

Fresh off a tropical vacation to Isla Mujeres to celebrate his 4-year anniversary to the country music superstar, Brendan was faced with a rude awakening in the form of icy Nashville weather. —Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 4 Feb. 2023

Bruce Bohuny, a director at Lakeland Bank, warns that capital may become prohibitively expensive for companies with mediocre credit, which could be a rude awakening. —Lila Maclellan, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2022

The strategy was aimed at hooking the casual gamer, but Hall had a rude awakening, perhaps like Dr. Frankenstein might have felt when his company received data showing gamers in South Korea were playing as much as 35 hours a week, and that was on top of their day jobs. —WIRED, 26 Nov. 2022

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