rally round the flag
Support during crisis
Rally round the flag means to unite in support of a country, leader, or cause, especially during a crisis or external threat.
The phrase evokes citizens putting aside differences to stand together: Americans rallied round the flag after the attacks.
In political science, the "rally round the flag effect" describes the spike in approval ratings leaders often receive during national emergencies or military action.
- flagCloth symbol or signal
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- national unityShared identity across citizenry
- stand togetherSupport each other collectively
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
crowd · morale · patriotism · solidarity · mobilization · war effort · home front · support · jingoism · resilience · cooperation · emergency · common enemy · wartime · nationalism · cohesion · legitimacy · crisis
- Patriotic Phrasesland of the free, home of the brave, stars and stripes, red white and blue, united we stand
rally round the flagcivil war
Domestic armed conflict
dissent · civil strife · partisan warfare · division · polarization
rally round the flagrevolt
Organized resistance to power
rebellion · insurrection · uprising · mutiny · civil disobedience
rally round the flagbreak ranks
Defy group unity
scatter · defect · splinter · desert · turn against
rally, round, rallied, rallies, rallying, rounder, roundest, roundly, roundness