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

Earlier this year he warned that “there could be war in Sweden”, although that was seen as a wake-up call because he felt that moves towards rebuilding that “total defence” were progressing too slowly.

From BBC

“The news of a deeply serious human case of bird flu is a massive wake-up call that should immediately mobilize efforts to prevent another human pandemic,” said Farm Forward Executive Director Andrew deCoriolis.

From Los Angeles Times

He added that he hoped it would serve as a "wake-up call" about food production.

From BBC

Her wake-up call came when her son was recently stopped and searched by the police as he was chatting to his friends on the street.

From BBC

That ground war in 2006 was a wake-up call for Israel.

From BBC