Phrase guide

red flag

name · noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

name

Meaning 1

A series of advanced, realistic air combat training exercises conducted by the U.S. Air Force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A socialist song, emphasising the sacrifices and solidarity of the international labor movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, government, lifestyle, music, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

name

Meaning 3

Synonym of red flag warning

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: climatology, meteorology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: red flag warning

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A flag that is red, especially associated with leftist revolutionary ideologies.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literally

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A flag that is red, especially associated with leftist revolutionary ideologies.

A flag used as a signal that the race must be stopped immediately (and possibly restarted).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literally

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, motor-racing, racing, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, informal

Examples

  • Improper formatting is a red flag to look for other problems with the data.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: green flag

7

noun

Meaning 7

Something that will enrage a particular person; a red rag.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A flag formerly used by a railway guard to warn the driver not to start the train.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

something that irritates or demands immediate action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • doing that is like waving a red flag in front of a bull

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: annoyance, annoying, irritation, vexation

10

noun

Meaning 10

the emblem of socialist revolution

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: emblem, allegory

11

noun

Meaning 11

a flag that serves as a warning signal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • we didn't swim at the beach because the red flag was up

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: alarm, alert, warning signal, alarum, flag, signal flag

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: alarmbel — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Finnish: punainen lippu — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Finnish: varoitusmerkki — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • French: avertissement — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • French: signal d'alarme — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • French: mauvais signe — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • German: Warnsignal — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • German: Warnhinweis — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Hungarian: figyelmeztető jel — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Kapampangan: malutung bandera — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Polish: czerwona lampka — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Polish: czerwona lampka ostrzegawcza — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Spanish: bandera roja — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Spanish: señal de alarma — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Spanish: alerta — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Telugu: ఎర్ర జెండా (erra jeṇḍā) — a cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong
  • Chinese Cantonese: 紅旗 /红旗 — socialist symbol
  • Chinese Mandarin: 紅旗 /红旗 (hóngqí) — socialist symbol
  • Finnish: punalippu — socialist symbol
  • French: drapeau rouge — socialist symbol
  • Hungarian: vörös zászló — socialist symbol
  • Italian: bandiera rossa — socialist symbol
  • Japanese: 赤旗 (akahata) — socialist symbol
  • Korean: 적기 (jeokgi) — socialist symbol
  • Korean: 붉은기 (bulgeun'gi) — socialist symbol
  • Malay: bendera merah — socialist symbol
  • Portuguese: bandeira vermelha — socialist symbol
  • Russian: кра́сный флаг (krásnyj flag) — socialist symbol
  • Spanish: bandera roja — socialist symbol
  • Tagalog: bandilang pula — socialist symbol