red flag law
noun
variants
or red-flag law
plural red flag laws or red-flag laws
US
: a law allowing courts to prevent people who show signs of being a danger to themselves or to others from having access to firearms (as by issuing an extreme risk protection order)
The approach of the red-flag laws is to seize guns from people who have them and to restrict their access until they are no longer deemed dangerous.—
Lenny Bernstein
Lenny BernsteinThe way red-flag laws work is straightforward. After hearing a petition from a family member or a law-enforcement officer with knowledge that someone is a credible danger to themselves or others, a judge can issue an order allowing for the temporary seizure of firearms belonging to that individual.—Scott Sexton
Scott SextonExamples of red flag law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since IndyStar began reporting on problems with the red flag law: More than 90% of Indianapolis police gun seizures have resulted in red flag court filings, as opposed to just 36% previously.
—Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Feb. 2023
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Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Red flag law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20flag%20law. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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