wake-up call

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

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake-up call
Noun
  • After Trump's announcement on Wednesday, some Wall Street firms voiced warnings about a possible recession.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Meanwhile, water rescues were underway in flooded parts of Nashville, Tennessee, where the rain could persist for days after an unnerving night of tornado warnings that drained the batteries of some sirens across the city, the fire department said.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Another easy indicator or red flag to watch for is whether the message was part of a group text or sent to other people.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The dramatic scenes came after Friday’s practice session had seen four red flags, two of which were due to trackside fires, apparently caused by sparks from the cars’ skid blocks landing on the dry grass.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • State police said the driver later allegedly blew through a red light at the intersection of Kelly Road and Route 83 before continuing north on Route 83, the warrant affidavits said.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Bosworth reveals that she's been obsessed with red light therapy and has gotten her husband into the trend.
    Michelle Lee, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • A number of protesters carried signs about the stock market tanking and the high tariffs Trump has promised to impose on goods coming in from around the globe.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The peaceful protesters waved signs targeting Trump and Musk.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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