red flag

noun

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 Villa rushed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, but giving up over 300 yards against Valencia raises red flags. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026 Lack of reviews, poor ratings or missing licenses are red flags. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Student loan expert Mark Kantrowitz says one of the biggest red flags is a company asking you to pay before providing a service. — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 For Gold, one of the biggest red flags when bringing someone new into the group is a lack of openness. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for red flag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for red flag
  1. warning
  2. sign
Noun
  • An extreme heat warning is currently in place for Death Valley, which is the lowest, hottest and driest portion of the North American continent and the United States’ largest national park outside of Alaska.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • An additional 45,000 people were in the adjacent evacuation warning zone.
    — John Raby, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of warning
Noun
  • Private equity’s growing interest in sports teams is another sign of the buying boom, said Irwin Kirshner, the head of the sports law group at the law firm Herrick Feinstein.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In hindsight, that was a sign of having lived in the bubble of NYC cinephile culture for 20 years by that time.
    — José Salazar, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sign

Browse Nearby Words

red-eyes
red flag
red flags
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Cite this Entry

“Red flag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/red%20flag. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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