half-mast

1 of 2

noun

ˈhaf-ˈmast How to pronounce half-mast (audio)
ˈhäf-
: a point some distance but not necessarily halfway down below the top of a mast or staff or the peak of a gaff

half-mast

2 of 2

verb

half-masted; half-masting; half-masts

transitive verb

: to cause to hang at half-mast
half-mast a flag

Examples of half-mast in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The flag was lowered to half-mast on Parliament Hill’s Peace Tower, as well as on many other government buildings. Karen Bliss, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2024 Even Ohtani at half-mast has been good enough for the Dodgers. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 5 Oct. 2024
Verb
Patterson High’s junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps said Izaiah was a cadet, and shared a photo of the school’s flags flying at half-mast Tuesday. Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2023 Half-staff is the preferred form of reference in presidential decrees while half-mast is used outside of the U.S. Ridah Syed, Journal Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for half-mast 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1800, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of half-mast was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near half-mast

Cite this Entry

“Half-mast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-mast. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

half-mast

noun
ˈhaf-ˈmast,
ˈhȧf-
: a point about halfway down below the top of a mast or staff
flags hanging at half-mast
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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