flag-waving

noun

flag-wav·​ing ˈflag-ˌwā-viŋ How to pronounce flag-waving (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hundreds — maybe thousands — of kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing, flag-waving, fun-loving Scotland fans descended on South Beach after a day of salsa dancing on Calle Ocho and cheering on the Marlins at loanDepot Park. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 The alternative America 250 birthday parties Some organizers say America's complicated and at times difficult history is being glossed over by fireworks and flag-waving ‒ or that it's being politicized by an administration that has actively worked to advance its version of history. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 June 2026 The team rolled into Lawrence after midnight on June 8, greeted by flag-waving fans who waited out thunderstorms just to watch the players arrive. Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 His latest obsession — aired out in part in Red Sheet, his 18th novel, out June 9 — is the Blacklist, which in Ellroy’s estimation was a greatly misunderstood act of flag-waving righteousness that Hollywood has been scandalously misrepresenting ever since. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flag-waving

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flag-waving was in 1892

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Cite this Entry

“Flag-waving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flag-waving. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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