waiting for a flag

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "waiting for a flag" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is anticipating a signal or indication, often in sports, programming, or other scenarios where flags are used as markers. Example: "The team is currently waiting for a flag to start the race."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Perhaps he was waiting for a flag.

The Guardian - Sport

Waiting for a flag alert after slaves have already been sold could be too late.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Proactive intervention (i.e. picking up early concerns) likely makes better investment than waiting for a fail to flag a difficulty.

BMC Medical Education

Apart from that there are dynamic entrepreneurs out in front not waiting for government and frustrated business leaders, stuck and waiting for an official green flag.

The Guardian

The duke, who recently passed his air transport pilot's license exams and will now work as an air ambulance pilot, was greeted by schoolchildren carrying Japanese and British flags waiting for a glimpse of the monarch-to-be.

Los Angeles Times

When Bannister ran sub-4 00, sub-4 00d for a snapping flag to ease to a gentle flutter.

The New York Times - Arts

This doesn't mean, however, that a board should just sit back and wait for a "red flag" to be waved in its face.

The New York Times

He stared down at the gray, badly cracked flags of the kitchen floor, waiting for a response.

The New Yorker

The Democratic Convention in Charlotte was the most diverse ever, at times with more rainbow flags than American flags visible in the arena, and senior elected officials waiting for a half hour or more to speak to the LGBT caucus.

Huffington Post

"I'm waiting for a statement from the White House blaming this on the Confederate battle flag," he said.

Huffington Post

The cars would come with their little flags and things, rather cute, everybody waiting for a house to become available and into which to move.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "waiting for a flag", ensure the context clearly defines what the flag represents. Is it a literal flag in a race, or a metaphorical flag indicating a change or decision?

Common error

Avoid using "waiting for a flag" when a more direct and specific term would be clearer. Overuse of figurative language can obscure your meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "waiting for a flag" functions as a present participle phrase, indicating a state of anticipation or expectancy. This is supported by Ludwig, as it highlights usage in contexts where a signal or indication is awaited.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "waiting for a flag" describes a state of anticipation for a specific signal. Grammatically correct and generally acceptable, according to Ludwig, it's most commonly found in news and media, and scientific contexts. While not overly formal, it conveys a sense of readiness pending a visual or symbolic cue. Alternatives such as "awaiting a signal" or "expecting a cue" may be more suitable for formal writing. Remember to provide context in order to what the metaphorical "flag" refers to in your writing for maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awaiting a signal

Replaces "waiting" with "awaiting" and "flag" with the more general term "signal".

expecting a cue

Substitutes "waiting" with "expecting" and "flag" with "cue", implying a hint or prompting.

anticipating a sign

Uses "anticipating" instead of "waiting" and "sign" instead of "flag", suggesting a broader indication.

looking for a signal

Replaces "waiting" with "looking for", emphasizing the active search for a signal.

watching for a marker

Substitutes "waiting" with "watching for" and "flag" with "marker", indicating a visual observation for a specific indicator.

in expectation of a flag

Emphasizes the state of expectation using a prepositional phrase.

awaiting the green light

Replaces "flag" with "green light", specifying a signal of permission or approval.

expecting the go-ahead

Uses "go-ahead" instead of "flag", suggesting a formal authorization.

watching for the signal to begin

Adds context about beginning an action to indicate a start signal.

standing by for the indication

Uses "standing by" to describe readiness and "indication" for a general cue.

FAQs

How can "waiting for a flag" be used in a sentence?

You can use "waiting for a flag" to describe a situation where someone is anticipating a signal or cue before taking action. For example: "The team is "waiting for a flag" to start the race."

What's a good alternative to "waiting for a flag"?

Alternatives include "awaiting a signal", "expecting a cue", or "anticipating a sign" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "waiting for a flag" or "awaiting a flag"?

Both "waiting for a flag" and "awaiting a flag" are correct. "Awaiting" is slightly more formal than "waiting".

When is it appropriate to use "waiting for a flag" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to convey the idea of patiently anticipating a visual or symbolic signal that indicates the start of an action or the occurrence of an event.