red alert

noun

Definition of red alertnext
as in watch
the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger the paparazzi were on red alert for sightings of the hot new Hollywood couple

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of red alert Three-quarters of France, encompassing tens of millions of people, was put under a red alert for extreme heat on Thursday and Friday as the mercury topped 40 C (104 F) in some locations, including in Paris. — Kirsten Grieshaber, Fortune, 27 June 2026 Three-quarters of France, encompassing tens of millions of people, was put under a red alert for extreme heat on Thursday and Friday as the mercury topped 104 degrees in some locations, including in Paris. — CBS News, 27 June 2026 Also Saturday, Italy's health ministry said 18 cities -- including the most popular tourism hubs like Venice, Florence, Bologna and Milan -- were on red alert due to danger posed by the high temperatures. — Arkansas Online, 26 June 2026 In Europe, a record-breaking heatwave has prompted red alerts across the continent. — Lim Hui Jie,leonie Kidd, CNBC, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for red alert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for red alert
  1. watch
  2. watchfulness
  3. alert
  4. alertness
  5. vigilance
Noun
  • On October 12, 2025, armed and masked thieves broke into the museum and made off with cash from the register and at least one watch.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Ben Cook, a New York creator who posts about watches on TikTok, uses his Meta smart glasses to listen to music on runs and take hands-free calls.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of watch
Noun
  • But the book’s ruminative watchfulness is unsuccessfully conjugated in this overly sedate play with music, which has the feel of a song cycle, though sung by the fine cast with gorgeous, lonely sorrow.
    — Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 19 June 2026
  • Hong Kong icon Tony Leung has channeled brooding urban energy for the masterpieces of Wong Kar-Wai, balancing the debonair ennui of Marcello Mastroianni with the quiet watchfulness of Montgomery Clift.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
Definition of watchfulness
Noun
  • Some residents went out of their way to witness the spectacle after getting social media alerts about a man who was trapped on a billboard.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The school district’s police department also has a therapy dog program, a reporting tool for families called the FortifyFL app and crisis alert badges for every school district staff member.
    — Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of alert
Noun
  • The replacement of old, negative patterns of thinking with pure thoughts from God, Love, requires alertness.
    — Linda Berckmann, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The lack of sleep and lack of rest wears down firefighters physically and mentally; the mental alertness, the mental sharpness is not always there, and also the burnout.
    — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of alertness
Noun
  • Kim was credited as an essential member of George Washington’s Reactor Department for his unwavering vigilance.
    — Magda Liszewska, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, borrowers should exercise constant vigilance and carefully review their statements.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of vigilance

Browse Nearby Words

redacts
red alert
red-blooded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Red alert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/red%20alert. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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