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

That was a wake-up call for Canada and Sam Reinhart brought them within a goal with just under six minutes remaining in the second period, tipping in Cale Makar's shot on a power play.

From Barron's

It's a good wake-up call and a realisation of what this game demands.

From BBC

"Geopolitical turmoil in the wake of the crisis in Greenland has been a wake-up call," Jorgensen told reporters.

From Barron's

"It was a wake-up call - by now we are far more aware of the need to look after the environment than we were at the time."

From BBC

She helped coordinate Ukraine’s participation in Hedgehog and hopes it can serve as a wake-up call and basis for more knowledge-sharing between Kyiv and its partners.

From The Wall Street Journal