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

See Examples For:

at half-mast

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

From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 2026

On Wednesday, flags flew at half-mast in railway stations across Ukraine.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

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

"He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me," the president added, ordering that all flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025

“Nobody’s seen you all day. Somebody told me they saw the flag at the guard booth at half-mast and I was afraid you might be dead.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt