Amber Alert

noun

variants or less commonly Amber alert or amber alert
plural Amber Alerts also Amber alerts or amber alerts
US
: a widely publicized bulletin that alerts the public to a recently abducted or missing child
… State Police activated the Amber Alert in search of a male infant who they believed was kidnapped …Fall River (Massachusetts) News
State Police put out an Amber alertTravis Andersen
… sends a text message … for emergency alerts (like hurricanes and amber alerts) …Greg Ganske
Amber Alerts are issued when a child under 18 is abducted and believed to be in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.Anthony Maenza
compare blue alert, silver alert

Examples of Amber Alert in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After the two bodies were discovered by APD, an Amber Alert was issued for Anseume-Corredor's three children. Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 17 Oct. 2024 Lee, of the Dock Ellis Foundation, said that the Ebony Alert has saved lives, but thus far it’s suffered from the same shortcomings of the Amber Alert. Marquise Francis, NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024 Authorities are asking the public for help locating a 16-year-old at-risk youth at the center of an Amber Alert in North Texas. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2024 Blue Alerts can be sent to wireless devices, like a cellphone; TV and radio programs; and overhead highway message boards — just like an Amber Alert. Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Amber Alert 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Amber Alert.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the U.S. Justice Department AMBER Alert Program that issues such bulletins, originally from Amber Hagerman †1996 U.S. victim of an abduction, later read as an acronym for America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response

First Known Use

1997, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Amber Alert was in 1997

Dictionary Entries Near Amber Alert

Cite this Entry

“Amber Alert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Amber%20Alert. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Amber alert

noun
: a widely publicized bulletin that alerts the public to a recently abducted or missing child

Legal Definition

Amber Alert

noun
: a widely publicized bulletin that alerts the public to a recently abducted or missing child
Etymology

from the U.S. Justice Dept. AMBER Alert Program that issues such bulletins, originally from Amber Hagerman †1996 victim of an abduction, later read as America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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