# wake up one day

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wake-up-one-day
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To undergo an overnight change, often an unplanned one (used with and).

## Examples

- You might wake up one day and decide to change your life.
- He spent years working in an office until he woke up one day and realized he wanted to travel the world.
- She had lived in the same quiet town for decades, only to wake up one day and find that her desire for adventure had finally outweighed her need for comfort.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.