flagging
1 Americannoun
-
flagstones collectively.
-
a pavement or walk of flagstones.
noun
Other Word 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.
Zhao responded to Yi that he wasn’t considering selling the SpaceX shares, but was flagging the holding for Musk “so that he can be less worried.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Tanden has finished up her marathon day with an appearance on CNN; she sparred with Scott Jennings about Donald Trump’s flagging poll numbers.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
He ticked through a laundry list of Florida constituents – retirees, teachers, emergency workers, restaurant staff and local government employees, flagging that they need to be able to "make ends meet".
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Friday’s strong showing for stocks has helped to revive some of investors’ flagging optimism, hinting at further gains ahead in the fourth quarter, said Jose Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 4, 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
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
