red rag

American  

noun

1. something that arouses anger; a provocation; red flag.

   A mere mention of the incident is a red rag to him.

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red rag British  

noun

1. a provocation; something that infuriates

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Etymology

Origin of red rag

First recorded in 1690–1700

Example Sentences

As yields act as a red rag on both sides of the Atlantic, it will be tough for the market to carry on charging higher.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Barely a week after a 6-0 humbling at Chelsea they were a team transformed, the sight of Liverpool like a red rag to a bull.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2024

“Azov was like a red rag for them,” he said.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2023

Writing about millennials online is like a red rag to a bull – a bull that specifically loves to procrastinate by getting angry with strangers.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2018

Out of the side window I point to a faded red rag tied to a stick and what appears to be a driveway, overgrown with weeds.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline