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
-
Strong winds are occurring but are not so strong as to warrant a High wind warning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras had a warning for the Milwaukee Brewers after he was hit on the hand by a pitch Monday night from right-hander Brandon Woodruff.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Those who knew the couple told the Herald there were no glaring red flags.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Those 35 seconds will go down in sideline interview history, as one in-game sound bite that actually meant something, sent up a flashing red flag that alerted all to keep watching.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dozens showed up to the Capitol on Tuesday, where advocates made speeches and attendees held signs and flags.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Dozens flocked to City Hall, wielding signs and voicing pleas for Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, Sacramento City Manager Maraskeshia Smith and other council members to halt construction.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wake-up call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake-up%20call. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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