wake-up call
wake-up call — noun
1. a sudden event or experience, usually negative, that makes you notice a problem
a sudden event or experience, usually negative, that makes you notice a problem and pushes you to change your behaviour or situation
Felix's minor heart problem was a wake-up call to start exercising every morning.
a wake-up call to [infinitive phrase]
The company's falling sales served as a wake-up call for the managers to rethink their strategy.
served as + a wake-up call
After failing two exams, Rin got the wake-up call she needed to study harder and attend every lecture.
The flood was a wake-up call for the whole village to build better drainage before the next rainy season.
Ziad saw the doctor's worried expression as a wake-up call about his smoking.
- warning sign
more objective and observable by anyone, less personal than a wake-up call
- red flag
specific indicator of hidden danger or dishonesty, often in relationships or investigations
- reality check
an experience that corrects unrealistic expectations, not necessarily alarming
- alarm bell
suggests urgent, immediate danger — more dramatic and pressing than a wake-up call
文法句型
a wake-up call for [someone]
a wake-up call to [do something]
serve as a wake-up call
用法筆記
The subject is usually a negative event — illness, failure, accident, or loss. Rarely used for positive experiences. Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to an actual phone call rather than a metaphorical warning.
常見錯誤
2. a phone call you arrange in advance, especially at a hotel, so that someone ring
a phone call you arrange in advance, especially at a hotel, so that someone rings your room at a set time to make sure you are awake
Mira asked the front desk for a wake-up call at six the next morning.
ask [someone] for a wake-up call
Ava set her phone alarm instead of relying on the hotel wake-up call.
The wake-up call never came, and Elena almost missed her flight to Dubai.
Sahil picked up the wake-up call on the second ring and thanked the receptionist.
Anong always books a wake-up call when she stays at a hotel for work.
- morning call
less common; used in some regions but 'wake-up call' is the standard term
- alarm call
more common in British English for the same hotel service
文法句型
a wake-up call at [time]
request a wake-up call
book a wake-up call
用法筆記
Standard in hotels worldwide; the call is typically made by the front desk or an automated system. Although smartphone alarms have reduced reliance on this service, it remains common in business travel. Distinguish from sense 1, which is metaphorical and does not involve an actual phone call.