white flag

noun

1
: a flag of plain white used as a flag of truce or as a token of surrender
2
: a token of weakness or yielding

Examples of white flag in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web McClain was chasing Mackey’s king all over the board, taunting him relentlessly, urging him to wave the white flag. Ian Shapira, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Some Palestinians carried white flags, hoping to fend off attacks. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2023 The Azerbaijani presidential administration responded by calling on the breakaway government to give up arms and dissolve itself by raising a white flag. Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 Nearby, a white flag fluttered in the breeze under a Haitian flag in a sign of peace. MartÍn Adames AlcÁntara and DÁnica Coto The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2023 Prince Harry and Meghan posed for a photo with the Nigerian team holding their green and white flag. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2023 One man’s white flag is another man’s white pocket square. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2023 The participating locations will have a white flag outside. Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 28 July 2023 Defensively, the Suns roster seemed to trade in their purple and orange jerseys for white flags. Greg Moore, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'white flag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of white flag was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near white flag

Cite this Entry

“White flag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20flag. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

white flag

noun
: a flag of plain white used as a flag of truce or as a sign of surrender

More from Merriam-Webster on white flag

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