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• flattery
  flattery

  noun

  the act of flattering.
• Flattery
  Flattery

  noun

  Cape, a cape in NW Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula, at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait.

flattery

¹ American  

[flat-uh-ree] / ˈflæt ə ri /

noun

flatteries plural

1. the act of flattering.

2. a flattering compliment or speech; excessive, insincere praise.

   Synonyms:

   pandering, sycophancy

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Flattery ² American  

[flat-ree] / ˈflæt ri /

noun

1. Cape, a cape in NW Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula, at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait.

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flattery British  

/ ˈflætərɪ /

noun

1. the act of flattering

2. excessive or insincere praise

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• flatteries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of flattery

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English flaterie, from Middle French, equivalent to flat(er) “to flatter” + -erie noun suffix; see flatter ¹, -ery

Explanation

Flattery is excessive praise. If you're hoping to borrow your brother's car, be careful not to overdo it when you compliment his haircut, new shoes, and singing voice — he knows flattery when he sees it. As opposed to real praise, flattery is insincere and almost always has an ulterior motive. The Old English root word of flatter is flater, which originally meant "to stroke with the hand or caress." When you stroke someone's ego to get what you want, you're using flattery. If the person you are wildly complimenting tells you that flattery will get you nowhere, you know it's time to back off.

Example Sentences

Flattery in state media underscored the dictator’s need to establish cult-of-personality supremacy as a smokescreen for his nation’s woes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Mr McKeown's partner Vicky Flattery added: "John literally wouldn't be here today without everything Demi did."

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2023

Diamond’s crewmate, who has not yet been publicly identified, was found alive by a Canadian fishing family 13 days later, in a life raft 70 miles northwest of Cape Flattery.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 28, 2023

Flattery from a president, though I wouldn’t know, is likely addictive.

From Washington Post • Aug. 27, 2021

He and Miller went out to Flattery the sixteenth of September.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson