warning

[wawr-ning]

noun

1. the act or utterance of one who warns or the existence, appearance, sound, etc., of a thing that warns.

2. something that serves to warn, give notice, or caution.

   We fired a warning at the intruders.

   Synonyms: presage, augury, portent, sign, omen, advice, admonition, caution

3. Meteorology.,  an announcement from the U.S. National Weather Service alerting the public that a storm or other weather-related hazard is imminent and that immediate steps should be taken to protect lives and property.

adjective

1. serving to warn, advise, caution.

   a warning bell.

warning

/ ˈwɔːnɪŋ /

noun

1. a hint, intimation, threat, etc, of harm or danger

2. advice to beware or desist

3. an archaic word for notice

adjective

1. (prenominal) intended or serving to warn

   a warning look

2. (of the coloration of certain distasteful or poisonous animals) having conspicuous markings, which predators recognize and learn to avoid; aposematic

Other Word Forms

• warningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of warning¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English war(e)nung “precaution”; warn, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

It is not yet clear whether Southwark Council issued a warning letter to Reeves or when the council first became aware she was breaking the rules.

Read more on BBC

Which is precisely the warning for conservatives, and for the country—Mr. Mamdani really shouldn’t be winning.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In January, new rules were brought in to stop phone and broadband companies raising prices in the middle of a contract without warning.

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The UK's winter flu season has begun five weeks earlier than usual, health officials are warning.

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The Fed delivered the expected cut to interest rates but it came accompanied with a bit of an unexpected fright from Powell—a warning not to count on another cut in December.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• admonition 
• advice 
• alarm 
• alert 
• caution 
• example 
• guidance 
• hint 
• indication 
• information 
• lesson 
• notification 
• prediction 
• recommendation 
• sign 
• signal 
• suggestion 
• threat 
• word