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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.

After a week-long pause in the case, Bloom returned to court to wave a white flag Tuesday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 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

In Gardez, the capital of eastern Paktia province, residents gathered while some waved the white flag of the Taliban government.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 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

So they all waved the white flag that day and let me grieve in peace.

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie

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.