warning

American  

[wawr-ning] / ˈwɔr nɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or utterance of one who warns or the existence, appearance, sound, etc., of a thing that warns.

2. something that serves to warn, give notice, or caution.

   We fired a warning at the intruders.

   Synonyms:

   presage, augury, portent, sign, omen, advice, admonition, caution

3. Meteorology. an announcement from the U.S. National Weather Service alerting the public that a storm or other weather-related hazard is imminent and that immediate steps should be taken to protect lives and property.

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adjective

1. serving to warn, advise, caution.

   a warning bell.

warning British  

/ ˈwɔːnɪŋ /

noun

1. a hint, intimation, threat, etc, of harm or danger

2. advice to beware or desist

3. an archaic word for notice

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adjective

1. (prenominal) intended or serving to warn

   a warning look

2. (of the coloration of certain distasteful or poisonous animals) having conspicuous markings, which predators recognize and learn to avoid; aposematic

Other Word Forms

• warningly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of warning

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English war(e)nung “precaution”; see warn, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Explanation

A warning is a caution against something dangerous. When there's a shark warning at the beach, the lifeguards will order everyone out of the water. When you receive a warning, you get an official advance notice of some impending problem. A crow might caw loudly as a warning when it sees a cat, and a traffic cop might give a first-time speeder a warning instead of an expensive ticket. You can also use warning as an adjective: "The warning light came on in her car as it started to overheat."

Example Sentences

Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu delivered a warning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a recent visit to Washington: Already-high airfares will surge if the war in Iran doesn’t end soon.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

The US leader issued the warning after earlier posting that "Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement" with Tehran, without providing further details.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

I ask if Sour Patch Kids are gluten-free, and I get a warning about additives in the ingredient list.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

"For us, this happened without warning," she says.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

And then, without warning, the air around me turns green.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• admonition
• advice
• alarm
• alert
• caution
• example
• guidance
• hint
• indication
• information
• lesson
• notification
• prediction
• recommendation
• sign
• signal
• suggestion
• threat
• word