rude awakening

noun

: surprising and unpleasant discovery that one is mistaken
He thinks he can get by without doing any work, but he is in for a rude awakening.

Examples of rude awakening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Comcast subscribers who are Cubs and Yankees fans may soon be in for a rude awakening. Alex Sherman, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025 Courtesy of Belinda Fewings/Unsplash Travelers scheduled to fly into, out of, or connect through London’s normally bustling Heathrow Airport (LHR) on Friday, March 21, were in for a rude awakening. Michelle Baran, AFAR Media, 21 Mar. 2025 The bottom line: Americans who voted for Trump seeking a return to the low-inflation, steady-eddy conditions the prevailed in 2019 may be in for a rude awakening. Neil Irwin, Axios, 9 Mar. 2025 Chief marketing officers who are convinced that their companies are immune from deepfakes will be in for a rude awakening when they are proven wrong. Edward Segal, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rude awakening

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rude awakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rude%20awakening. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!