wake-up call

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The much-honored “Roots”—which ABC executives ran over eight nights in January 1977, because they thought it was going to bomb—was not only a ratings monster but a wake-up call about slavery in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

State regulators have launched an investigation into the incident, and some local officials have called it a wake-up call for communities like Boyle Heights, where homes are sandwiched close to industry and manufacturing districts.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

First minister John Swinney said Friday's events should be a "wake-up call" to Scotland over intolerance towards others.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

The real wake-up call came last year when China imposed export controls on rare earths, sending shockwaves across supply chains globally.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

The following morning, Fig slept past his early-morning wake-up call again.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas