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

For now, Venezuelans don’t know who is running their country, even as Venezuelan news networks broadcast images of celebratory flag-waving in the streets. —Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026

Amid a sea of flag-waving and soccer-style chanting from large crowds that exceeded expectations, violent clashes with police led to dozens of arrests. —Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 14 Sep. 2025

Kirk used social media, podcasts and personal appearances on college campuses to espouse a flag-waving conservatism that trumpeted limited government, gun rights and traditional morality. —John Wisely, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Additionally, all of these flag-waving insects are known to feed on toxic passionflower vines. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025

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