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wake up call
/weɪk ʌp kɔːl/
alert to a problem
The company ignored the warning signs until the financial crisis became a wake-up call.
The crisis served as a harsh reminder of the company's neglect of financial risks.
informal
An event or piece of information that alerts someone to a problem or urgent need for action.
The failed exam was a wake-up call for the student to study harder.
The poor result motivated the student to change their study habits.
The pandemic served as a wake-up call for many businesses to adopt remote work policies.
The crisis forced companies to rethink their traditional work models.
Often used metaphorically to describe a sudden realization of a serious issue.
Collocations
a wake-up call for someonean event that makes someone aware of a problemneed a wake-up callrequire a harsh reminder to take action
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Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context matters
Use 'wake-up call' for situations where someone was unaware of a problem before a crisis or urgent event occurred.
Gold Rule
Avoid literal interpretation
This phrase is almost always used metaphorically, not to describe actual waking up.
Word Origin
The phrase originates from the literal act of waking someone up to prevent them from missing an important event. The metaphorical use emerged in the mid-20th century, first in American English, to describe any urgent reminder.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in personal, professional, and societal contexts to describe a jarring event that forces a change in behavior or perspective. Often implies urgency or severity.
Word Breakdown
wake up
to rouse from sleep or inactivity
phrasal verbcall
a signal or notification
nounEnglish Dictionary