1. wake up and smell the coffee - Verb
2. wake up and smell the coffee - Phrase
wake up and smell the coffee (third-person singular simple present wakes up and smells the coffee, present participle waking up and smelling the coffee, simple past woke up and smelled the coffee or woke up and smelt the coffee, past participle woken up and smelled the coffee or woken up and smelt the coffee)
(idiomatic, US, informal) Often in the infinitive or imperative: to face reality and stop deluding oneself.
Synonyms: open one's eyes, take the hint, (rare) wake up and smell the ashes, wake up and smell the decaf, wake up and smell the roses