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
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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
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
-
The slugger scorched a fastball that looked to go over the right-field wall, but Josh Lowe was there to catch the ball on the warning track.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2025
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The director of the Los Angeles Police Department's union slammed city and state leadership while issuing a stark warning to would-be anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement rioters.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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If a company says your package is stuck in customs or asks for additional payment due to tariffs, that’s a major red flag.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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Everything the Phillies measure with their pitchers to catch potential red flags has not indicated any physical issues.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Your skin may be sensitive after red light exposure.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
3 June 2025
-
Florida has been on fire on the road, averaging 4.75 red lights 🚨 per game away from home, the fifth-highest mark in NHL history.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Noun
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To some, the shift may vindicate Trump's America First strategy — a sign that pressuring allies to increase defense spending is working.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
4 June 2025
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The Dolphins offered a sign that his rehab was progressing positively in March, restructuring his contract to convert $9.7 million of his 2024 salary into a signing bonus.—
Cameron Priester,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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