wake-up call
noun
1
: something (such as a telephone call from a hotel employee to a guest) that serves to wake a sleeper
2
: something that serves to alert a person to a problem, danger, or need
a wake-up call to parents
Examples of wake-up call in a Sentence
his high blood pressure was a wake-up call that he needed to do something about his health
Recent Examples on the Web
Our editor noted that the delicate tinkling makes for a very pleasant wake-up call and adds a calming ambiance when hanging out in the backyard on a gently breezy day.
—
Kate McGregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
The film’s success, argues culture minister Claudia Roth, should be a wake-up call for an overly-restrictive and bureaucratic film funding system that privileges theatrical releases even as fewer and fewer Germans are watching movies in cinemas.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2023
Really, this is both your wake-up call and a call to action.
—Victoria Zambito, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
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
See all Example Sentences for wake-up call 
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.
Kate McGregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
The film’s success, argues culture minister Claudia Roth, should be a wake-up call for an overly-restrictive and bureaucratic film funding system that privileges theatrical releases even as fewer and fewer Germans are watching movies in cinemas.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2023
Really, this is both your wake-up call and a call to action.
—Victoria Zambito, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
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
See all Example Sentences for wake-up call
Dictionary Entries Near wake-up call
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wake-up%20call. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share