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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
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Word History
First Known Use
1974, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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 23 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
wake-up call
noun1
: something (as a telephone call from a hotel employee to a guest) that serves to wake up a sleeper
2
: something that serves to alert a person to a problem, danger, or need
More from Merriam-Webster on wake-up call
Britannica English: Translation of wake-up call for Arabic Speakers
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