at half-mast

Idioms  

1. Halfway up or down, as in The church bells tolled off and on all day and the flags were at half-mast. This term refers to placing a flag halfway up a ship's mast or flagpole, a practice used as a mark of respect for a person who has died or, at sea, as a distress signal. Occasionally the term is transferred to other objects, as in Tom's pants were at half-mast as he raced around the playground, or The puppy's tail was at half-mast. [First half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

AFP journalists saw the Iranian flag flying at half-mast as soldiers stood guard.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Flags were flown at half-mast and thousands of security officers have been deployed.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025

A moment of silence was held before the game with security tightened at a packed Adelaide Oval where flags were flying at half-mast.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be flown at half-mast through the weekend in Kirk’s honor.

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2025

During the day flags were flown at half-mast.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry