red flag

8 synonyms and 2 antonyms for red flag, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A sign that something is wrong or dangerous, especially an early warning about a person's behaviour or about a situation you are considering entering.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

flag mark

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

highlight

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

warning sign danger sign alarm bell caveat escalate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A sign that something is wrong or dangerous, especially an early warning about a person's behaviour or about a situation you are considering entering.

“He wouldn't let her meet his friends, which should have been a red flag.”

warning sign danger sign alarm bell caveat

Opposites

green flag reassurance

2. verb

To mark something as needing attention or as a potential problem.

“The system red-flagged the transaction as unusual.”

flag mark highlight escalate

How to use red flag

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

raise a red flag major red flag red flag warning red-flagged for review

Neutral; extremely common in dating, HR and finance contexts.

Etymology

From the literal use of a red flag as a warning or stop signal, red being long established as the colour of danger.

Full origin of red flag →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a red flag and a green flag?

A red flag is a warning sign that a person or situation may be harmful; a green flag is the newer, deliberately opposite coinage for a sign that someone is healthy, considerate and worth trusting. Both come from motorsport flagging, where red stops the race and green starts it.

What are examples of red flags in a relationship?

Commonly cited ones include controlling who you see, refusing to take responsibility, love-bombing early on, disrespecting boundaries, and speaking with contempt about every previous partner. A single instance is rarely conclusive; a pattern is what makes it a red flag.

Is "red flag" hyphenated?

As a noun it is two words: a red flag. As a verb it is usually hyphenated or written as one word — red-flagged, red-flagging.

People also searched

mark flag highlight escalate reassurance caveat

Nearby words

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