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

Like most expectant parents, Briana Faucette heard the typical warnings about sleepless nights.

— Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
And now, those warnings have become reality, with the employees working to rein in a growing cyclospora outbreak in the Midwest, forced to do more with less.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Definition of warning

Noun

Certain top players, including Alex de Minaur, opted out of the media boycott for Wimbledon, citing their appreciation of the prize money increase as a sign of progress.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
And the early signs of a smooth 2030 tournament hosting are not promising; the South Americans have been accused of both brutal tactics on the field and racist abuse by fans off it.

— Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of sign

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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 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wake-up call

noun

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