warning

/ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/
nounBeginner
general

an alert or notice of danger or potential harm

The weather app issued a warning about heavy rain.

The app notified users about the risk of heavy rain.

She ignored the warning signs of her car's engine trouble.

She disregarded the indicators that her car was malfunctioning.

💡

Can be verbal, written, or visual.

⚖️Law
formal

a formal notice of a violation or impending legal action

The company received a warning from the labor board.

The company was formally notified of potential legal consequences.

💡

Often issued by authorities or legal entities.

Collocations

warning signan indicator of danger or troublewarning labela label indicating potential hazardswarning shota shot fired to signal danger without causing harm

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

a warning to the wiseproverb
a piece of advice that only the intelligent will understand

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'warning' can vary based on context—legal, safety, or general advice.

Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In legal contexts, 'warning' is formal; in everyday speech, it can be informal.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English *warnyng*, from Old French *warnir* (to warn), from Frankish *warnōn* (to caution).

📝Usage Notes

Can be used as a noun or verb (e.g., 'The system warned the user').

Word Breakdown

warn
to alert or notify
root
+
-ing
ongoing action or state
suffix
English Dictionary