RED FLAGS Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

red flags

noun

plural of red flag

as in red lights

something that tells of approaching danger or risk the résumé she accidentally left on the office printer was a red flag that she was planning to quit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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all clears

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of red flags Naik flagged several red flags worth booking an appointment over. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Villa rushed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, but giving up over 300 yards against Valencia raises red flags. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026 For anyone with a basic knowledge of ancient history, there were red flags aplenty. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 In June 2025, Russian banks raised red flags on a potential debt crisis as high interest rates weighed on borrowers’ ability to pay off loans. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 They're built to avoid obvious red flags and exploit disconnected verification processes. — Robert Granados, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 His slow recovery from March ankle surgery raises all sorts of red flags. — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 And didn’t Hal’s hunch help expose an alien that not only looked exactly like a human male, but also passed an X-ray without sending up any red flags? — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2026 But there is no indication in state paperwork that the problems found at Heights Crematory or other red flags triggered aggressive regular inspections of the Morgans’ businesses, or their ongoing operating practices. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for red flags

Noun

What ultimately did was rewarding the law-abiding ones with fewer red lights.

— Jeff McMurray, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Every motorist must stop on either side of the road when a school bus has its stop signs extended and red lights flashing.

— Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of red lights

Noun

France is again under moderate wind or severe thunderstorm warnings, and another round of extreme weather is likely across Western Europe.

— Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
On Monday, shortly after authorities began downgrading some mandatory evacuation orders to warnings around Somersett, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said people were already venturing too far into dangerous wildlands.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of warnings

Noun

The Habitable Worlds Observatory would be the first designed to photograph Earth-like planets — and even search for chemical signs of life within the atmospheres of those planets.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
There are signs that Democratic voters, especially, are looking for change, and some young voters argue older politicians can’t truly understand a world transformed by artificial intelligence, rising housing costs and student debt.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of signs

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red flag

red flags

red giant

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“Red flags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/red%20flags. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of red flags

noun

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