emergency signal
Call for help
An emergency signal is any sound, light, or transmission meant to summon help or warn of danger.
Distress signals include flares, sirens, SOS transmissions, and alarm bells.
The phrase covers both the signal itself and the act of sending it: The ship sent an emergency signal before going down.
Pull the emergency signal if you need assistance.
- distressSevere anxiety or suffering
- distress callUrgent plea for aid
- flareSudden bright burst
- sirenWailing alert device
- air hornPressurized canister that blares
SOS · alarm · beacon · mayday · cry for help · rescue · search and rescue · warning · alert · horn · whistle · smoke · flash · red · red alert · urgent · panic · help
- signalswaved, nodded, gestured, blinked, flashed
- traffic signalstraffic light, stoplight, red light, green light, yellow light
- alarmsalarm, fire alarm, alert, smoke alarm, burglar alarm
- alertsalarm, alert, warning, notification, push notifications
- alert levelsDEFCON, red alert, orange alert, yellow alert, elevated