white flag

American  

noun

1. an all-white banner or piece of cloth, used as a symbol of surrender or truce.

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idioms

1. hoist / show / wave the white flag, to give up; weaken; yield.

white flag British  

noun

1. a white flag or a piece of white cloth hoisted to signify surrender or request a truce

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Other Word Forms

• white-flag adjective

Etymology

Origin of white flag

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

In short, they are waving the white flag on the idea of predicting when the war will end and the oil will flow.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

In Gardez, the capital of eastern Paktia province, residents gathered while some waved the white flag of the Taliban government.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

It’s the perfect accompaniment to the sight of Harper and Yasmin, dancing together at a club, relieved to have waved the white flag, at least for tonight.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2026

“We do not like the risk reward that these situations offer, and therefore we put up the white flag and said, ‘we can’t compete in this segment right now,’” Jain said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

Mom gushed as I held it by the corner and waved it back and forth like a tiny white flag.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos