warningnoun [ C or U ]
uk/ˈwɔː.nɪŋ/us/ˈwɔːr.nɪŋ/B1 something that makes you understand there is a possible danger or problem, especially one in the future:
Completely without warning, he turned up at my door with all four children!
There's a warning on the cigarette packet that says "Cigarettes cause cancer".
I'm not surprised you feel sick after eating so much - let it be a warning to you!
Just a word of warning - restaurants in this area can be very expensive.
formal The Health Minister issued a warning about the dangers of sunbathing.
They can't dismiss you just like that - they have to give you a written warning first.
The police fired warning shots but the rioting continued.
warning sign
a physical condition that shows someone has a disease:
The warning signs of the illness are respiratory problems and dizziness.
More examples
- Police have put out a warning to people living in the area.
- The judge said that the fine would serve as a warning to other motorists who drove without due care.
- All cigarette packets carry a government health warning.
- It would be irresponsible to ignore these warnings.
- The police are trying to sift out the genuine warnings from all the hoax calls they have received.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Threats & warnings
- (I) told you (so)! idiom
- (just) you wait idiom
- bell
- cautionary tale
- do you want to make something/anything of it? idiom
- don't you dare idiom
- early warning system
- emergency cord
- fire a (warning) shot across sb's bow idiom
- forewarn
- heads-up
- notice
- ring/sound alarm bells idiom
- siren
- slap
- sound
- tip
- ultimatum
- wake-up call
- warning/alarm bells start to ring/sound idiom
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Idiom(s)
hear warning bells