rude awakening
Britishnoun
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.
“They were in for a rude awakening with the response, and it wasn’t just from the gay community,” Giants broadcaster and former pitcher Mike Krukow told KNBR, the team’s flagship radio station.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Thousands of home sellers in Chicago are in for a rude awakening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
Americans who thought spring break would offer rest and relaxation after a tough winter may be in for a rude awakening.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026
But investors who are hoping they’ll benefit from a similar flight to safety next year could be in for a rude awakening.
From Barron's ● Dec. 31, 2025
Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
Definitions 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.
