flag of convenience

American  

noun

1. the foreign flag under which merchant ships register in order to save on taxes or wages, or to avoid government regulations.

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flag of convenience British  

noun

1. a national flag flown by a ship registered in that country to gain financial or legal advantage

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Etymology

Origin of flag of convenience

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flag of convenience

Another popular method of deception is to adopt a false flag or flag of convenience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026

Most athletes who defected competed under a kind of flag of convenience – traveling to the Summer Games from eastern Europe with a plan to head west.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2021

A ship flying a flag of convenience means the owner has registered the vessel in a country other than their own.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 30, 2020

Perversely, a flag of convenience, seen as a way to avoid government regulation, had Shell seeking a government safety net — and a longer, more dangerous, near-shore route.

From New York Times ● Dec. 30, 2014

Very few merchant ships carry British flags now - many fly a flag of convenience.

From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2012