wake-up

[weyk-uhp]

noun

1. an act or instance of waking up.

2. an act or instance of being awakened.

   I asked the hotel desk for a wake-up at 6.

3. a time of awaking or being awakened.

   I'll need a 5 o'clock wake-up to make the early plane.

4. flicker.

adjective

1. serving to wake one from sleep.

   Tell the front desk you want a wake-up call.

2. serving to arouse or alert.

   a wake-up call on the problems of pollution.

wake-up

noun

1. informal,  an alert or intelligent person

2. informal,  to be fully alert to (a person, thing, action, etc)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wake-up¹

First recorded in 1835–45; noun, adj. use of verb phrase wake up

Example Sentences

Barton said January’s devastating wildfires were a wake-up call.

From Los Angeles Times

Joe Freeman, Amnesty International's Myanmar researcher, said the attack "should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection".

From BBC

Even though the fire died down and officials said there were no injuries and little damage to speak of, some residents said Thursday was a wake-up call.

From Los Angeles Times

His harsh wake-up call occurs when he and Earth Prime’s Harcourt find a small American flag at A.R.G.U.S. headquarters.

From Salon

“This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences…The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agitate 
• amaze 
• anger 
• animate 
• annoy 
• astound 
• bother 
• delight 
• disturb 
• energize 
• irritate 
• offend 
• thrill 
• turn on 
• vex 
• work up 
• worry