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
Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Jan. 2025
Flags at all federal buildings will fly at half-mast for 30 days after Carter's death, including during Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
—Madeleine Janz, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
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
Flags are also at half-mast on all naval stations and vessels.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Jan. 2025
Flags at all federal buildings will fly at half-mast for 30 days after Carter's death, including during Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
—Madeleine Janz, People.com, 30 Dec. 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
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 10 Jan. 2025.
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