red flag

Definition of red flagnext
as in red light
something that tells of approaching danger or risk the résumé she accidentally left on the office printer was a red flag that she was planning to quit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 red flag Oh, there were so many red flags. Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026 Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the release that Harvard’s noncompliance raises red flags over its practices. Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 13 Feb. 2026 Small red flags often appear long before major losses. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026 But closer matches, like Milan Lucic, Marcus Johansson and Peter Mueller, raised some red flags. Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for red flag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for red flag
Noun
  • The driver, who is alleged to have run a red light, currently is facing vehicular manslaughter charges.
    Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Authorities allege Comer ran a red light while traveling approximately 84 miles per hour and slammed into Maria Tambunga’s pickup truck.
    Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Various weather alerts were issued across the state, including winter storm warnings, coastal flooding advisories, and wind advisories.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Lin echoed those warnings that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would reverberate worldwide.
    Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • It's all told from the vantage point of a woman trying to make sense of her life in the face of devastation, sometimes grasping for signs that only hindsight can uncover.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Red flag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/red%20flag. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

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