From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwake-up callˈwake-up ˌcall noun [countable] 1 an experience or event that shocks you and makes you realize that you must do something to change a situation The success of extremist groups in the elections should be a wake-up call to all decent citizens.2 a telephone call that someone makes to you, especially at a hotel, to wake you up in the morning SYN alarm call
Examples from the Corpus
wake-up call• This should be a wake-up call to everyone.• Clinton recently had a wake-up call.• The latest report on increased drug use is a wake-up call for America.• Seattle was, as everybody now says, a wake-up call.• That had been his wake-up call.• They needed a mighty wake-up call as much as they needed to learn the parts of speech.• My wake-up call arrived when the amount of spam selling lists of e-mail addresses exceeded that pushing miracle diet drugs. 