flagpole

American  

[flag-pohl] / ˈflægˌpoʊl /

noun

1. a staff or pole on which a flag is or can be displayed.

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flagpole British  

/ ˈflæɡˌstɑːf, ˈflæɡˌpəʊl /

noun

1. a pole or staff on which a flag is hoisted and displayed

2. to pursue a tentative course of action in order to gauge the reaction it receives

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Etymology

Origin of flagpole

First recorded in 1880–85; flag ¹ + pole ¹

Explanation

A flagpole is a long bar that holds a cloth banner representing a country, state, school, or team. If you want to fly the Stars and Stripes on the Fourth of July, you'll need a flagpole! The word flagpole is pretty straightforward; it's a pole that supports a flag at the end of it. The flagpole on your grandparents' front porch might be five feet long and made of wood, while the aluminum flagpole in front of your school could be 30 feet tall. Before the Great Depression in the 1920s, flagpole-sitting (climbing to the top of a flagpole and staying there as long as possible) briefly became a popular fad.

Example Sentences

Bavarian comedian Maxi Schafroth, 41, attempted to run up the Stars and Stripes on a flagpole near the cultural centre in Nuuk, before he was confronted by angry passers-by.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

Within a few minutes, I spotted another police car, which drove slowly around the flagpole at the entrance, then left.

From Slate • Jun. 19, 2025

For buildings with more than one flagpole, the government guidance says the union jack should always be flown in the "superior position" for example on the highest flagpole or in the centre.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

The title currently belongs to a 662.57-foot flagpole in Cairo built in 2021.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

There was no one anywhere, come to that—no passing traffic, not a sound but the lazy clank of a metal ring knocking against the flagpole.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• beam
• leg
• mast
• rod
• stick