as in nationalist
one who shows excessive favoritism towards his or her country
a newspaper columnist who never manages to be anything other than a knee-jerk flag-waver
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Recent Examples of flag-waver
For those two groups to get in not just over Carey and O’Connor, but more traditional rock and roll flag-wavers like Oasis and Lenny Kravitz, is also something of a shock.
—
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flag-waver
nationalist
Noun
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In the 1960s, Canada’s nationalists feared America’s power—its military strength, yes, but also its cultural cohesion—and wanted to form a corresponding Canadian identity.—
Stephen Marche,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2025
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Hegseth’s membership in a church that belongs to the CREC drew attention because prominent members of the church identify as Christian nationalists, and because of its positions on issues concerning gender, sexuality and the separation of church and state.—
Samuel Perry,
The Conversation,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flag-waver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flag-waver. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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