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

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

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

For some inside the AI companies, the wake-up call began this summer—as the companies raced toward public offerings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Sam Rowlands MS, the Conservative shadow minister for education agreed that the gap with England is "stark", and added that this should be a "wake-up call" for the Welsh government.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 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

A rooster crowed his wake-up call into the clear air.

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen