red alert
Americannoun
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(in military or civilian defense) the most urgent form of alert, signaling that an enemy attack is believed to be imminent.
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the signal or alarm sounded for this alert.
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a signal or warning that a critical situation is developing or has occurred.
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the period during which a state of crisis or danger is declared to exist.
Etymology
Origin of red alert
First recorded in 1960–65
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.
Looking ahead to Thursday, the ministry of health has issued a red alert for all of Italy's 27 major cities, external, including popular tourist destinations Milan, Naples, Venice and Rome.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Italy is putting nearly all of its major cities on the highest "red" alert for high temperatures, as a new heatwave grips the country.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
It is a red alert that needs to land on the desks of heads of state and government around the world.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Scientists said in a study released Friday that climate change was "unequivocally" responsible for the heat that broke records in Britain, France, Spain and Switzerland, while the Netherlands issued its first-ever red alert over heat.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
The red alert was spreading to my cheeks.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
