WAKE-UP CALL Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

wake-up call

noun

Definition of wake-up call

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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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 wake-up call The rising autism numbers presented by our CDC should be a wake-up call — there are a lot of us, and what’s truly increasing is the cost of ignoring our needs. — John Elder Robison, STAT, 23 Mar. 2023 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 See All Example Sentences for wake-up call

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake-up call

Noun

Crash reported on northbound I-635 A traffic warning has been issued after a crash on I-635 from Shawnee Drive/Exit 1 to Metropolitan Avenue/Exit 2.

— Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
The warning is for Northern Jackson and Southern Jackson as well as Avery, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Swain, Haywood, Buncombe, Graham and Macon counties.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of warning

Noun

The red flag warning put out by the National Weather Service (NWS) Wednesday evening follows a relatively quiet wildfire season so far in California.

— Simmone Shah, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Can President Trump hold his fraying coalition together, or will these red flags lead to a blue wave?

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of red flag

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wake (up)

wake-up call

wake-up calls

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“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wake-up call

noun

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