red alert
Imminent danger status
Red alert is the highest state of readiness or warning, originally military terminology for imminent attack or danger.
The phrase now applies broadly to any urgent situation requiring immediate attention: The hospital went on red alert after the explosion.
Something described as a red alert demands immediate response—less urgent warnings might be yellow or orange alerts.
Urgent warning signal
- sirenWailing alert device
- klaxonElectric warning horn
- evacuationRemoval from danger
- maydayRadio emergency signal
SOS · lockdown · battle stations · scramble · mobilization · security breach · containment · quarantine
Message-conveying cue
- beaconGuiding light source
- flashingRepeated brief illumination
- strobeRapidly pulsing light
- indicatorSign revealing status
notification · advisory · bulletin · broadcast · announcement · early warning · advance notice · heads-up
Expressing disapproval or importance
- imminentAbout to occur
- immediateHappening without delay
- direExtremely serious or urgent
- pressingRequiring immediate attention
time-sensitive · rapid response · expedite · emergency protocols · all-clear · stand down
Evaluating potential for harm
- tacticalStrategically planned
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
intercept · deployment · command center · war footing · enemy contact · incoming · perimeter · reconnaissance
alarm
Urgent warning signal
- sirenWailing alert device
- klaxonElectric warning horn
- evacuationRemoval from danger
mayday · SOS · lockdown · battle stations · scramble · mobilization · security breach · containment · quarantine · disaster
signal
Message-conveying cue
indicator · notification · advisory · bulletin · broadcast · announcement · early warning · advance notice · heads-up · forewarning
critical
Expressing disapproval or importance
pressing · time-sensitive · rapid response · expedite · emergency protocols · all-clear · stand down
threat assessment
Evaluating potential for harm
- tacticalStrategically planned
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
engagement · intercept · deployment · command center · war footing · enemy contact · incoming · perimeter · reconnaissance · standoff
- starship commandsengage, make it so, beam me up, warp speed, shields up
- Alarm Expressionshelp, mayday, SOS, oh no, watch out
- alertsalarm, warning, notification, push notifications, tornado watch
- Color Idiomsblack sheep, blue moon, green light, white lie, golden rule
- signalssignal, signals, signaling, sign, waved
- urgencyurgent, urgently, emergency, ASAP, stat
red alertall clear
Signal danger has passed
code green · yellow alert · orange alert · green light · stand down
red alertall clear
Signal danger has passed
business as usual · stand down · peacetime · calm · normalcy
red alertfalse alarm
Erroneous warning signal
drill · simulation · training exercise · test · dry run
red, alert, reddish, redness, redden, redder, alerted, alerting, alerts