Code Red

noun

variants or code red

plural Code Reds or code reds

1

: a declaration or state of emergency in a hospital when smoke or fire has been detected

2

: an officially declared emergency situation (such as a hazardous weather event) that requires action to ensure safety

If residents see a person who appears unhoused during a Code Red, they are urged to request a street outreach team by contacting the city's Homeless Outreach hotline …

—Zoë Read et al.

also : a warning of such a situation

There were no notifications, no warning sirens, no Code Reds issued.

—The Houston Chronicle

(figurative) But the Code Red isn't just for Newark: The whole country faces a critical lack of air-traffic controllers, with the Federal Aviation Administration looking to hire another 3,000 …

—The New York Post

Examples of Code Red in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Amid brutal heat and humidity, the city has issued a Code Red for unhoused individuals in the city. — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Thekla went for the spear, but Willow countered with a Code Red followed by a Death Valley Driver. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

During this recent Code Red, however, all 311 calls about homeless welfare were automatically being rerouted to 911, Coleman says. — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026

Baltimore City declared a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert through Saturday, the Fourth of July, due to an extreme heat wave expected to impact most of Maryland. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for Code Red

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead

Medical Definition

Code Red

noun

variants or code red

: a declaration or state of emergency in a hospital when smoke or fire has been detected