wake-up call

NOUN

cautionary tale

Synonyms

WEAK

a few words of wisdom admonition advisory caution light caveat deterrent example enough said event illustrating a hazard forewarning hint lesson message moral omen portent red flag sign of things to come warning word to the wise

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It was a real wake-up call for the US," he says.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Tank bottoms at Cushing would be a wake-up call that inventories are dangerously low.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

"The current crisis is a wake-up call regarding Europe's energy independence," said Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines for Europe, a civil aviation lobby group.

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

For private-equity investors, however, the actions in Oregon and California are a wake-up call, showing that the new laws can’t be ignored, said John Saran, a partner at law firm Holland & Knight.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Then, Blackcliff’s drums thud out, a wake-up call for the entire school and half the city.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

wake-up call

Example Sentences

Related Words