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Showing results for wake-up call. Search instead for wake-up alarm.
Definitions

wake-up call

NOUN
cautionary tale
Synonyms
WEAK
a few words of wisdom admonition advisory caution light caveat deterrent example enough said event illustrating a hazard forewarning hint lesson message moral omen portent red flag sign of things to come warning word to the wise

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.

In a statement, Alistair Weaver, Edmunds’s editor in chief, called the Geely Galaxy M9 “a wake-up call for the automotive industry.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.US, an organisation that provides scholarships to undocumented immigrants, told the BBC that the case should serve as a "wake-up call."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Smith said the 69-62 loss to Sierra Canyon was a wake-up call for the Knights.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine called the negative outlook “a sobering wake-up call about the fiscal challenges ahead for us,” noting that it is the city’s first negative outlook since the Covid-19 crisis.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

In early July, Morgan Stanley received its first wake-up call.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis