wake-up call

noun

1. a telephone call that wakes a person from sleep
2. an event that alerts people to a danger or difficulty

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

However, we have just had a necessary wake-up call that all is not as secure as we believed.

From The Daily Beast

For these people the disaster over the Mojave Desert is a sobering wake-up call.

From The Daily Beast

If you want to predict trends in America, whether in politics or products, World Cup mania should serve as a wake-up call.

From The Daily Beast

A new CDC report serves as a wake-up call for the importance of childhood vaccines.

From The Daily Beast

“This study should be a wake-up call to parents and educators everywhere,” says Greenberg.

From The Daily Beast