What does "half-mast" mean?
The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the deceased.
Half-mast
noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the deceased.
- Grammar: half-mast is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: beat the drum, dip, flag, flash.
- Usage evidence: The Canadian flag flew at half-mast on Parliament Hill's Peace Tower to commemorate the Nova Scotia mass killing victims.
How to use "half-mast"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "half-mast" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "half-mast" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "half-mast" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "half-mast" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "half-mast" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "beat the drum" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "half-mast", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the deceased. uncountable
"Any other UK national flags flown alongside the Union Flag when it is at half-mast should also be at half-mast."
- 2 a position some distance below the top of a mast to which a flag is lowered in mourning or to signal distress wordnet
- 3 The lowered position of anything. broadly, uncountable
- 4 An unfashionably short length of a pair of trousers. colloquial, uncountable
"I looked around. Ari in a green jacket with four inches of fore arm showing and trousers at half mast, Penny and I in mismatched padded jackets and ski trousers which were way too long; and all wearing the silver moon boots that had been the rage in the early eighties."
- 5 The state of having a partially erect penis. euphemistic, uncountable
"Finally, he was at half-mast, hanging out over the toilet seat, barely erect."
Verb
- 1 To fly a flag in this position. transitive
Example
"The Canadian flag flew at half-mast on Parliament Hill's Peace Tower to commemorate the Nova Scotia mass killing victims."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "half-mast"?
Common synonyms include: beat the drum, dip, flag, flash, glance, hail.
How do you use "half-mast" in a sentence?
The Canadian flag flew at half-mast on Parliament Hill's Peace Tower to commemorate the Nova Scotia mass killing victims.