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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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake-up call
Noun
  • The warning is in effect until 12:45 a.m. What to do as threat of lightning approaches?
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2025
  • The warning was issued at 11:41 p.m. on Wednesday, and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Wednesday at 11:46 p.m.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Fortunately, there are ways to recognize red flags that indicate suspicious job descriptions.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Watch for common red flags: Be cautious of sudden friend requests from unfamiliar accounts, vague messages that mention surprise winnings, poor grammar or any pressure to act quickly.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • However, a Chinese diplomat ran a red light in central Prague while trying to maintain surveillance of the Taiwanese delegation.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
  • Detectives also found Lumpkin had run a red light just before the fatal crash four blocks away and nearly struck two cars.
    Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Choose salmon that looks moist as this is a sign of freshness.
    Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
  • Dobson, who signed a max-term deal with a $9.5 million cap hit as part of a sign-and-trade to the Canadiens, has proven himself an explosive right-shot defenseman, especially on the power play.
    Rob Rossi, New York Times, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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