flagging
1 Americannoun
-
flagstones collectively.
-
a pavement or walk of flagstones.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of flagging1
First recorded in 1535–45; flag 3 + -ing 2
Origin of flagging2
Explanation
If something is flagging, it's worn out or weak. A flagging political campaign is running out of steam, losing the energy it needs to be successful. If your career is flagging, it's languishing or fading — you might need to go back to school and start a new one. Flagging public support for a new school might spell the end of the project. A different kind of flagging is the sort you walk on. If your patio is made of flagging, it's paved in stones — flagstones, to be specific. The "weakened" meaning of flagging comes from an early meaning of flag, "to flap about loosely."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He warned that with the economy flagging, there was a strong likelihood that Turkey's political leaders could move towards snap elections in the coming period.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Perhaps more importantly, it is reacting to a broadening AI processor market, flagging $20 billion in revenue from central-processing unit sales this year, adding to its core graphics-processing units.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
But behind this is the industrial health of China — in that any sign of flagging activity in the country’s industrial segment could reverse the scarcity sentiment.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Big banks have already been acquiescing to Musk’s unusual demands, including paying up front for Grok subscriptions, thus juicing SpaceX’s flagging A.I. revenue.
From Slate • May 15, 2026
Through the sound of the shivering glass I could hear the “ting” of the gold, as some of the sovereigns fell on the flagging.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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.
