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 warning about the security measures put in place were posted on the naval base’s Facebook page.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The State Department has issued a travel warning for U.S. citizens in Tamaulipas, citing high crime and kidnappings amid ongoing violence between drug cartels.—
Louis Casiano,
Fox News,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Demko is one of the most talented goalies in the NHL and has a higher ceiling than Lankinen, but the former’s durability is a huge red flag at this point.—
Harman Dayal,
The Athletic,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Later on, a smaller rain cell passed over the track, causing another red flag before racing resumed again.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The space has been decorated with red lights and pillows as a nod to the new product.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
WWD,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Balde, 24, was traveling through a steady red light, police said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
These signs include avoiding each other or keeping their distance, swiping, biting, dilated pupils, flattened ears, hissing, litter box guarding, urinating outside of the litter box, territorial aggression, and toy hoarding.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Each sign rules different parts of the body, and Aries rules the head.—
Sophie Saint Thomas,
Allure,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share