as in warning
something that tells of approaching danger or risk
his high blood pressure was a wake-up call that he needed to do something about his health
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Recent Examples of wake-up call
The persistence of that finding should be a wake-up call for employers already battling high turnover and labor shortages.
—
Wire Services, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2023
Those efforts show the pandemic has been a wake-up call, Horowitz said.
—Rachel Scott, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2023
Texas is on an entirely different level than those teams and had a bit of a wake-up call against Penn State.
—Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2023
Most important, the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) got a wake-up call that their oversight of middle-size banks has been dangerously lax.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for wake-up call
Wire Services, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2023
Those efforts show the pandemic has been a wake-up call, Horowitz said.
—Rachel Scott, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2023
Texas is on an entirely different level than those teams and had a bit of a wake-up call against Penn State.
—Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2023
Most important, the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) got a wake-up call that their oversight of middle-size banks has been dangerously lax.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for wake-up call
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake-up call
Noun
-
Various weather alerts were issued across the state, including winter storm warnings, coastal flooding advisories, and wind advisories.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Lin echoed those warnings that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would reverberate worldwide.—
Eryk Michael Smith,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Oklahoma is expected to have red flag warnings in parts of the state this week, along with elevated wildfire threats as a potentially dangerous wildfire season begins.—
Josh Kelly,
Oklahoman,
16 Feb. 2026
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What are red flags in extended warranties?—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The driver, who is alleged to have run a red light, currently is facing vehicular manslaughter charges.—
Barbara Henry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Authorities allege Comer ran a red light while traveling approximately 84 miles per hour and slammed into Maria Tambunga’s pickup truck.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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It's all told from the vantage point of a woman trying to make sense of her life in the face of devastation, sometimes grasping for signs that only hindsight can uncover.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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