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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 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
-
The impact of the storm was worsened by clogged waterways in an already flood-prone area, and an apparent lack of understanding of early warnings, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator for the Philippines Office of Civil Defense told local media.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Strong winds are occurring but are not so strong as to warrant a High wind warning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
If an app asks for permissions that do not match its purpose, like a calculator wanting your location or a flashlight needing camera access, that is a major red flag.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Ciattarelli’s victory is a red flag for Democrats about their chances.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In Missouri, the Kansas City Council approved an ordinance Thursday to prohibit drivers from making right turns on red lights in school zones during school zone hours, requiring signs at intersections and allowing schools to request waivers if pick-up and drop-off is disrupted by the rule change.—
PJ Green
November 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light (the most familiar color of the aurora) or a red light; nitrogen generally gives off a blue light.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Trade discussions dominated those meetings, but there were signs of growing tensions over Beijing’s surging conventional and nuclear arsenal.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
However, unlike last season, there was no sign to those within the Capitals that their captain was feeling the pressure of scoring another historic goal.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share