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

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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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wake-up call

He was due to make a keynote address at the World Economic Forum in Davos—one day before Trump’s own speech there—and wanted to frame it as a wake-up call.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

State regulators have launched an investigation into the incident, and some local officials have called it a wake-up call for communities like Boyle Heights, where homes are sandwiched close to industry and manufacturing districts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

Financial markets received a sharp wake-up call on Tuesday following a sudden wave of selling in major technology shares, triggering widespread doubt over the sustainability of the AI boom.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

The real wake-up call came last year when China imposed export controls on rare earths, sending shockwaves across supply chains globally.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

A few weeks later, just after our wake-up call, I heard a sound in the courtyard that made me uneasy: it was the thud of picks and shovels on the ground.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela