wake up and smell the coffee
Often in the infinitive or imperative: to face reality and stop deluding oneself.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You need to wake up and smell the coffee about your job.”
“She needs to wake up and smell the coffee regarding her expensive lifestyle.”
“Stop hoping he will change his mind and wake up and smell the coffee.”
“If you think you can pass the exam without studying, you need to wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late.”
“The city council must wake up and smell the coffee about the rising cost of housing if they want to help local families.”
“It is time for the management to wake up and smell the coffee regarding the company's declining sales.”
disputed origin
Probably a humorous elaboration of wake up (“to become more aware of a real-life situation; to concentrate on the matter in hand”), alluding to the fact that coffee is often consumed at breakfast time after waking up in the morning. The term was popularized by the American writer Esther Pauline “Eppie” Lederer (1918–2002), who used the pen name Ann Landers, in the syndicated newspaper advice column Ask Ann Landers.
- 01
coffee money
A small amount of money given as a bribe or gratuity.
- 02
coffee talk
Informal conversation among friends or acquaintances, of the kind that occurs in a casual gathering where people sit together and drink coffee.
- 03
cream in one's coffee
Something that one relishes.
- 04
fit to wake the dead
At a very high volume; extremely loudly.
- 05
power coffee
A working session or seminar at which important discussions may be held, and important decisions made, over servings of coffee or at a coffeehouse.
- 06
smell a rat
To sense something suspicious.
- 07
smell blood
To sense that one has an advantage over an adversary or rival.
- 08
smell fishy
To seem suspicious.
Last updated August 10, 2026