flag-waving

noun

flag-wav·​ing ˈflag-ˌwā-viŋ 

: excessively passionate appeal to patriotic or partisan sentiment : chauvinism

an article that was nothing more than flag-waving

—often used before another noun

flag-waving rhetoric

Examples of flag-waving in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Leo, wearing his formal red mozzetta cape, thrilled the flag-waving masses by arriving at the presidential palace in his open-sided popemobile. —Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

Wearing his formal red mozzetta cape, Leo thrilled the flag-waving masses by arriving at the presidential palace in his open-sided popemobile. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

During pregame warmups David Beckham and the Mas brothers walked toward the end-zone where all the most rabid fans do the flag-waving and drum-beating and raised their hands to applaud the cheering fans. —Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026

Edgecombe playing in front of a large, flag-waving contingent that traveled over from his native Bahamas for the 76ers’ lone visit of the season. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for flag-waving

• behaving
• engraving
• enslaving
• lifesaving
• repaving
• autoclaving
• misbehaving
• braving
• caving
• craving
• graving
• laving