rude awakening

noun

1. an occurrence of being made to face an unpleasant fact

Example Sentences

But many will be in for a rude awakening when they wake up on Nov. 6.

From Slate

But eventually I had the rude awakening that you really couldn’t do both.

From Los Angeles Times

"And I think the Republicans are probably in for a rude awakening."

From Salon

That year’s midterm elections soon gave Republicans a rude awakening to the public’s opinion of the decision, which ended half a century of federal reproductive rights.

From Los Angeles Times

If France is a country of illusions — a beautiful and seductive land offering many of life’s greatest pleasures that sits atop and conceals a crime-ridden, drug-plagued world of violence — then the past week offered a rude awakening to this dual reality.

From New York Times