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

Unlike regular golf tournaments, the first tee is boisterous with a flag-waving crowd and music. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

Telefilm invests around $150 million each year in indie homegrown films while also promoting them at international festivals and markets with a flag-waving Canada pavilion. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

The 21-year-old is already the most successful Filipino tennis player in history, and her popularity among flag-waving fans has been evident all week. — Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026

For a time, organizers and others thought America 250 might be that galvanizing, flag-waving force. — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 7 July 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