How to Use wake-up in a Sentence

wake-up

1 of 2 adjective
  • The 2003 heat wave was a wake-up call, researchers said.
    Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 10 July 2023
  • The wake-up call applies to both sides, Schreibel said.
    David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 July 2024
  • The past six months have been a wake-up call, Seligson says.
    David Oliver, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
  • Keep in Mind: The soft wake-up sounds may not be enough for heavy sleepers.
    Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2023
  • For Khamenei—and many in his inner circle—the protests served as a wake-up call.
    Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 29 July 2024
  • My son’s catch-and-release treasure hunt was a wake-up call for me—the youth have no love for the coin of the realm.
    Wes Moss, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
  • On sale for a mere $16, add the Lip Sleeping Mask to your cart for buttery, smooth lips on the wake-up.
    Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 12 July 2023
  • For many on the east coast of North America, the orange skies of June were a wake-up call.
    Omar Mouallem, WIRED, 23 Aug. 2023
  • The journey has been pretty chill and easy, despite a 4 a.m. wake-up.
    Jessica Ritz, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2023
  • Will the significance of the Met poaching Sharon be a wake-up call for L.A.?
    Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
  • But what is happening with their bonds should be a wake-up call.
    Telis Demos, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2023
  • Staff are making wake-up calls so that students get out of bed on time.
    Lauren Lumpkin, Washington Post, 20 Dec. 2023
  • The death of Olympian Tori Bowie should be yet another wake-up call that this is a crisis.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 26 June 2023
  • Here's a fresh twist on a couple of classic brunch favorites and a wake-up call for your taste buds.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
  • The loss, which brought Golden State to 17-18 at Chase Center this year, also served as a bit of a wake-up call.
    Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
  • There have been many wake-up calls lately for the industry.
    Evan Halper, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023
  • Their wake-up call will be at 7 (a.m.) or whatever time.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
  • In need of power Wednesday’s 20-0 loss at Arizona was a wake-up call.
    Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 Apr. 2023
  • This over-the-top-tasty steak and egg breakfast pizza will be the ultimate wake-up call in the morning.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2023
  • Foiled plots inside the United States should be the ultimate wake-up call.
    Graham Allison, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
  • The seventh-inning stretch isn’t a wake-up call to various body parts.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2023
  • The scene wasn’t anyone’s idea of a soothing wake-up ritual.
    Peter C. Baker, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
  • Hassan squatted and lit a cigarette, his eyes a bit red from a 6:30 a.m. wake-up.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023
  • Tesla owners who are driving while tired could get a wake-up call from their car.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2023
  • This documentary is a wake-up call, but not without a dose of hope.
    Tomris Laffly, EW.com, 10 July 2024
  • Whoopi Goldberg is reflecting on her past drug use — and the wake-up call that led her to get clean — in her new memoir.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024
  • Some people don’t want to be jolted awake and prefer a slower wake-up.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 18 Oct. 2023
  • The outcome was a wake-up call for progressives, Marshall said.
    Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2024
  • Chena Hot Springs Resort guests can request a wake-up call when the aurora is spotted in the sky.
    Caroline Hallemann, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2023
  • These include: Keep your bedtime and wake-up time consistent from day to day.
    Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024
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wake up

2 of 2 verb
  • The kick from the jalapeños should help your taste buds wake up with a hot kick.
    Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2023
  • Those who wake up from that lie and try to grow, and those who don’t.
    Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2023
  • So how about one more time loud enough to wake up Joe Biden.
    Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 18 July 2024
  • Many of his victims woke up to find him in their homes.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2024
  • She was even said to wake up with hand prints all over her face and body.
    Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
  • Greeks on some days are waking up to news of dozens of new fires.
    Elinda Labropoulou, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2023
  • By the time the women woke up in their room, their cell phones were gone, as were two EpiPens.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024
  • Rhine still wakes up with a start in the middle of the night, said his wife, Jennifer Rhine.
    Madeleine O'Neill, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2024
  • In the morning, wake up to a caviar and Champagne breakfast in bed.
    Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
  • Nothing takes the zen out of a good night’s sleep like waking up drenched in sweat.
    Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024
  • The icing on top is waking up to the double view of the Mediterranean Sea and the Riviera.
    Martie Bowser, Essence, 16 May 2024
  • Like a clock, at 3 a.m., Darwin will wake up, complain and come to my bed.
    Paige Darrah, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2023
  • My younger son woke up at 3 a.m. with a touch of restlessness.
    Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar. 2024
  • Five hours later, the man woke up and noticed white smoke, the report said.
    Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2024
  • On the other hand, if the Cubs don’t wake up soon, Hoyer could be the one looking at a fire sale.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2024
  • But that’s starting to change as the world wakes up to the gravity of the climate crisis.
    Nina Seega, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
  • Half of the guest rooms face the ocean, so some guests will have the advantage of waking up to crashing waves.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024
  • The woman woke up, pushed away Ansari's hand and got up and told a flight attendant.
    Phil Helsel, NBC News, 6 Oct. 2023
  • People in Louisville woke up to rain that could extend until the evening.
    Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 13 Sep. 2024
  • Keep your sleep schedule the same daily: Go to bed and wake up around the same time, even on weekends.
    Sayaka Blickenderfer, Health, 16 Mar. 2024
  • The video then switched to darkness as Jenner went to wake up her son in his bedroom.
    Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
  • The plot is simple: Two strangers wake up chained in a windowless room.
    Stacey Grant, Seventeen, 15 Mar. 2023
  • For weeks, Rich would wake up in the middle of the night, replaying the incident in his mind.
    Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
  • Will Ingrid wake up to find Martha’s bedroom door closed?
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2024
  • My father, Buddy DeFord taught me how to wake up , get dressed and go to work.
    Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
  • The world woke up to the sad news Saturday morning that Jimmy Buffett died at the age of 76.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2023
  • While speaking to the jury, Nuñez claimed that Creech had woken up in the middle of the night to find his wife missing.
    Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024
  • Down the hall, his neighbor had woken up early, too, as was her habit.
    Sigrid Nunez, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2024
  • On the first day of the full-scale war, Mr. Shevchenko heard explosions soon after waking up.
    Lydia Tomkiw, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023
  • Blow-drying and heat styling aren't required, either: Simply spray evenly across dry hair, brush through, and wake up to silkier hair.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 17 Oct. 2024

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

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