the symbol or banner of a left-wing revolutionary party.
a danger signal.
something that provokes an angry or hostile reaction.
The talk about raising taxes was a red flag to many voters.
Also called powder flag. Nautical. a red burgee, designating in the International Code of Signals the letter “B,” flown by itself to show that a vessel is carrying, loading, or discharging explosives or highly inflammable material.
(initial capital letters) a war game the U.S. Air Force holds several times each year at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to train personnel in air combat.
to mark or draw attention to for a particular purpose.
The department has red-flagged the most urgent repair work to be done.
to provoke the attention of; alert; arouse.
The animal's refusal to eat red-flagged the keeper that something was wrong.
of or relating to a red flag.
intended or serving to emphasize, warn, incite, or provoke.
a symbol of socialism, communism, or revolution
a warning of danger or a signal to stop
First recorded in 1770–80
First recorded in 1880–85
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And Sergio Perez took 10th for what could be the first point for the new Cadillac team, although he faces an investigation for being incorrectly positioned on the restart after the red flag.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
But the sheer size of SpaceX’s expected offering, and Chief Executive Elon Musk’s expressed desire to have significant retail ownership, might make that less of a red flag this time around.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
The space business, like EVs, is here to stay, but valuations approaching 80 times estimated sales are a red flag for investors.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
If your sketchy adviser suggested paying the tax for the conversion out of the $1 million itself, I’d raise another red flag.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
As I try to pull apart a red flag from a gray block, the flag breaks in my hand.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
