flag-waving — excessive display of patriotism or nationalism, especially in a showy or emotional way
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: excessive display of patriotism or nationalism, especially in a showy or emotional way
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈflæɡ ˌweɪvɪŋ/
Example Sentences
- The candidate's flag-waving didn't fool the voters who cared more about real policies.
- His flag-waving Instagram posts during election season were so obvious that even his followers rolled their eyes.
- The movie avoided flag-waving and instead focused on the human cost of war.
flag-waving
NOUN[/ˈflæɡ ˌweɪvɪŋ/]
excessive display of patriotism or nationalism, especially in a showy or emotional way
excessive display of patriotism or nationalism, especially in a showy or emotional way
Flag-waving feeds his craving, while quiet work does the saving!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Flag-waving originated as a literal compound describing the act of waving flags, but developed into a metaphorical expression in the early 20th century to denote excessive patriotism. The term evolved from the observation that physical flag-waving was perceived as a display of national pride, eventually becoming a pejorative descriptor for jingoistic or performative nationalism.
Breakdown
flag (a cloth banner or ensign) + waving (the present participle of 'wave,' meaning to move back and forth). The compound literally describes the physical action before acquiring its figurative meaning of ostentatious patriotism.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The candidate's flag-waving didn't fool the voters who cared more about real policies.”
“His flag-waving Instagram posts during election season were so obvious that even his followers rolled their eyes.”
“The movie avoided flag-waving and instead focused on the human cost of war.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.