flagging 1 of 4

adjective

Definition of flaggingnext
1
as in sagging

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2
as in weary

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flagging

2 of 4

noun

as in exhaustion

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flagging

3 of 4

verb (1)

present participle of flag
1
as in drooping
to be limp from lack of water or vigor flowers flagging in the summer heat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor we flagged as we neared the end of the long mountain trail

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flagging

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of flag
as in waving
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture flagged the cars into the other parking lot

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flagging
Adjective
Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could further squeeze a flagging labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains. — ABC News, 11 June 2026 Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s board noted that the event began in 1989 as Old Tyme Days and was launched by business owners in an effort to boost the flagging downtown area. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
Noun
The footnote says that while the locations of some gas lines were marked with painting and flagging, the location of the gas line that was struck by a third-party contractor had not been identified and marked. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 1 July 2026 And how some close to him bristled when asked questions about his authoritarian streak and his departure from organizing, distractions that left the union’s power flagging. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Enterprise agents today are playing a hand in determining user verification, flagging fraudulent transactions, and managing crisis conversations. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 16 July 2026 Soon after his arrest, both Canary Mission and Betar boasted of their role in flagging Khalil’s noncitizen status to the government. — Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flagging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagging
  1. wilting
  2. weary
  3. exhaustion
  4. drooping
  5. weakening
  6. waving
  7. tired
  8. limping
Adjective
  • Look for wilting flowers and any blooms forming seed pods at their base.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
  • The first sign your peace lily is thirsty will be yellowing and wilting leaves.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of wilting
Adjective
  • Spare a thought for the weary new Airbus A350-1000ULR, which is cooling its jets in Melbourne after completing its first-ever nonstop test flight from France.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Hathaway, in her third collaboration with Nolan, is cunning but weary, while Pattinson is just a fantastic creep.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of weary
Noun
  • Competing demands — for example, from illness, injury, or chronic stress — can appear not only as poor health, but also as negative conscious experiences such as anxiety, brain fog, and exhaustion.
    — Rachel Nuwer, Quanta Magazine, 17 July 2026
  • Barrett said the goal is for the justices to have as large a security detail as those dedicated to Cabinet members, in part to avoid burnout and exhaustion among the four to eight officers typically assigned to each justice.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Definition of exhaustion
Verb
  • The two most common causes are ptosis, which is a drooping eyelid caused by weakness of the muscle that lifts the eyelid, and dermatochalasis, which is excess eyelid skin.
    — Carlos Wolf, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • Why Hydrangeas Droop So Quickly Some types of cut flowers seem to last forever in vases—like coneflowers, cosmos, and zinnias—but hydrangeas usually start drooping quickly.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 6 July 2026
Definition of drooping
Verb
  • Or would that strategy end up weakening the forces tasked with holding the line against Russia?
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Sleep deprivation makes leaders less perceptive and human, weakening their presence and effectiveness with people, whereas quality sleep is essential for fostering authentic, influential leadership.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • On July 22, the 18-second video clip opened with George in sunglasses waving and smiling at the camera.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 22 July 2026
  • Those protests stretched into their fifth consecutive day on Monday, with demonstrators holding placards and waving flags as part of a push for Zelenskyy to reinstate Fedorov and dismiss Syrskyi.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of waving
Adjective
  • Pick up a s’mores kit from reception, claim one of the firepits, and watch your fellow Cape-goers drift back from the beach with sandy feet and tired kids.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
  • In an age of endless subscriptions and price hikes, people are sick and tired of paying for access to products rather than owning them.
    — Bee Wertheimer, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026
Definition of tired
Noun
  • In recent days, young Knicks fans have been made to digest from their dreary Boomer elders heavy doses of old-timey hoops lore, but mainly about the 1970 title series, featuring Willis Reed’s limping, yet noble appearance in Game Seven, his injured leg shot up with painkillers.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
  • Carter did not look good limping off the practice field.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Definition of limping

Browse Nearby Words

flagged
flagging
flagon
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Cite this Entry

“Flagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagging. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flagging

Nglish: Translation of flagging for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flagging

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