red alert

noun

Definition of red alert

: the final stage of alert in which enemy attack appears imminent broadly : a state of alert brought on by impending danger

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Examples of red alert in a Sentence

The troops have been put on red alert. the paparazzi were on red alert for sightings of the hot new Hollywood couple

Recent Examples on the Web

Hoover’s Constantine Hontzas wasn’t worried about making a 30-yard field goal as the clock expired to beat defending Class 7A state champion Central Phenix City, even after the Red Devils called two timeouts to raise the red alert on his nerves. al, "Hoover beats defending Class 7A champ with clutch kick," 24 Aug. 2019 The heat wave that scorched Europe last week felt like a red alert of climate change. Michele Cohen Marill, WIRED, "How Extreme Heat Overwhelms Your Body and Becomes Deadly," 3 July 2019 During code red alerts, cooling centers are free and open to the public. Juliana Kim, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland weather: ‘Code red’ heat alert in effect for Sunday and Monday," 17 Aug. 2019 Microsoft is sounding a red alert to Windows 10 users, warning them to update their operating systems immediately. Chris Morris, Fortune, "Update Windows 10 Immediately, Warns Microsoft," 15 Aug. 2019 On Thursday, about one-fifth of French territory was under a red alert, stretching from the English Channel through the Paris region and down to Burgundy. Angela Charlton And Kirsten Grieshaber, Houston Chronicle, "Paris hits new heat record, London boils in Europe heat wave," 25 July 2019 The colors of faces are so important to the overall way humans perceive the world that when something upends that perceptual channel, our brains call a red alert. Adam Rogers, WIRED, "Why We See the Colors of Faces Differently Than Other Things," 8 July 2019 In southern France, four administrative districts were placed on red alert — a warning for a dangerous heat wave. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, "Record-Breaking Intense Heat Wave Hits Europe and Sparks Massive Wildfire in Spain," 27 June 2019 The missives, more one-liner than red alert, reflect how North Korea remains open to further talks but has few options—including risky weapons tests—to bend negotiations in its favor. Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, "North Korea Fires Insults at U.S., Spares Trump," 15 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red alert.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of red alert

1941, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for red alert

red alert

noun

English Language Learners Definition of red alert

: a warning that there is great danger