flag of convenience

noun phrase

: registry of a merchant ship under a foreign flag in order to profit from less restrictive regulations

Examples of flag of convenience 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.
But security experts say the name may be a flag of convenience rather than a coherent group, and its claims should be treated with caution. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 Some security experts say Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia is likely a flag of convenience rather than a coherent group, and its claims should be treated with caution. — ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026 Russia’s shadow fleet is described as a constantly shifting network of vessels that frequently change registration and flags of convenience to elude detection and avoid sanctions enforcement. — Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025 They are usually registered under flags of convenience (in states such as Gabon, Cameroon, or the Cook Islands, which maintain open ship registries with minimal oversight) or under false flags. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 18 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flag of convenience

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flag of convenience was in 1956

Rhymes for flag of convenience

See All Rhymes for flag of convenience

Browse Nearby Words

flagman
flag of convenience
flag officer
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Cite this Entry

“Flag of convenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flag%20of%20convenience. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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