ˈhaf-ˈmast 
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-masted; half-masting; half-masts
: to cause to hang at half-mast
half-mast a flag
Examples of half-mast in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
The school Hill attended, Georgia Military College Prep School, flew all flags at half-mast on Monday in honor the student.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2025
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
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Noun
The president also declared three national days of mourning in the country and called for flags to be flown at half-mast.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
The school Hill attended, Georgia Military College Prep School, flew all flags at half-mast on Monday in honor the student.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Half-mast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-mast. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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