wake-up call

British  

noun

1. a telephone call that wakes a person from sleep

2. an event that alerts people to a danger or difficulty

---

wake-up call Idioms  

1. A portentous event, report, or situation that brings an issue to immediate attention. For example, The rise in unemployment has given a wake-up call to state governments, or The success of the online subscription is a wake-up call to publishers. This metaphoric term originated in the second half of the 1900s for a telephone call arranged in advance to awaken a sleeper, especially in a hotel. Its figurative use dates from about 1990.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wake-up call

Their experience is another wake-up call our military needs to answer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

It was a revelation, and a wake-up call, for fellow retailers.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

It was also a big wake-up call for families, who may not yet know the extent of the horrors children have faced on the apps.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

“The wake-up call was necessary. It’s been very easy for Western powers in recent decades to be lulled into a sense of false security,” Hood said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

I basically hung out in my room, listening to tunes and trying to catch some zees after the four A.M. wake-up call.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---