half-staff

noun

ˈhaf-ˈstaf 

ˈhäf-

: half-mast

Examples of half-staff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carney ordered flags lowered to half-staff on all federal buildings nationwide Sunday in honor of the four soldiers killed. — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Parker separately ordered city flags to remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of Seiber's interment. — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Newsom ordered flags at the California State Capitol lowered to half-staff in Liles' honor. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Stein previously ordered flags lowered to half-staff for a state trooper killed in a crash and after a state representative died from cancer, The N&O reported. — Anna Roman, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for half-staff

• behalf
• carafe
• distaff
• falstaff
• giraffe
• autograph
• biograph
• cenotaph
• chronograph
• epigraph
• epitaph
• hodograph