wake-up call
noun
1
: something (such as a telephone call from a hotel employee to a guest) that serves to wake a sleeper
2
: something that serves to alert a person to a problem, danger, or need
a wake-up call to parents
Examples of wake-up call in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our editor noted that the delicate tinkling makes for a very pleasant wake-up call and adds a calming ambiance when hanging out in the backyard on a gently breezy day.
—
Kate McGregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
The film’s success, argues culture minister Claudia Roth, should be a wake-up call for an overly-restrictive and bureaucratic film funding system that privileges theatrical releases even as fewer and fewer Germans are watching movies in cinemas.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for wake-up call 
Kate McGregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
The film’s success, argues culture minister Claudia Roth, should be a wake-up call for an overly-restrictive and bureaucratic film funding system that privileges theatrical releases even as fewer and fewer Germans are watching movies in cinemas.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for wake-up call
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wake-up call.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wake-up call
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wake-up%20call. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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