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Synonyms

white flag

American  

noun

  1. an all-white banner or piece of cloth, used as a symbol of surrender or truce.


idioms

  1. hoist / show / wave the white flag, to give up; weaken; yield.

white flag British  

noun

  1. a white flag or a piece of white cloth hoisted to signify surrender or request a truce

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of white flag

First recorded in 1590–1600

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.

See Examples For:

But as that deadline neared, state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, waved a white flag.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 16, 2026

In short, they are waving the white flag on the idea of predicting when the war will end and the oil will flow.

From MarketWatch Mar. 31, 2026

It’s the perfect accompaniment to the sight of Harper and Yasmin, dancing together at a club, relieved to have waved the white flag, at least for tonight.

From Salon Mar. 1, 2026

Guardiola appeared to waive the white flag as he replaced Erling Haaland 10 minutes from time to reserve the Norwegian's energy with City still fighting in four competitions.

From Barron's Jan. 17, 2026

A blue flag and a white flag dropped from the bridge simultaneously.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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