WAKE-UP CALLS Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

wake-up calls

noun

plural of wake-up call

as in warnings

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

all clears

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake-up calls

Noun

Storms in northeastern Tennessee prompted flash flood warnings to the north of Knoxville on Wednesday morning, with some places seeing up to 5 inches of rain within a few hours.

— Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Southern Louisiana was under tropical storm and extreme heat warnings for much of Wednesday — a rare double dose of suffering, the National Weather Service said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of warnings

Noun

Knowing what to look for and paying attention to common red flags that may indicate reproductions is key to scoring genuine treasures.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2026
You may be fooled into joining a brokerage with high fees, poor investment options or other red flags.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Definition of red flags

Noun

Mounted atop the temporary wall were two sets of traffic lights, a pair of side-by-side green lights (currently off) and a set of red lights, now blinking.

— Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
Both earlier crashes were reportedly linked to drivers running red lights, heightening concerns among local residents about safety at the intersection, the outlet reported.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Definition of red lights

Noun

Most dramatically, five of the bodies were hung on a highway bridge, their half-nude corpses displaying signs of torture — a macabre display that recalled the worst days of the Mexican drug wars.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Institutions and governments must invest long before crises unfold and continue funding past initial signs of success to ensure complete and lasting transformation.

— Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of signs

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.

Browse Nearby Words

wake-up call

wake-up calls

waking

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Style

“Wake-up calls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20calls. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wake-up calls

noun

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