- comparative of flat.
flatter
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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flatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flattered,
past participle, past
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flattering
present participle
-
to try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.
-
to praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively.
She flatters him by constantly praising his books.
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to represent favorably; gratify by falsification.
The portrait flatters her.
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to show to advantage.
a hairstyle that flatters the face.
-
to play upon the vanity or susceptibilities of; cajole, wheedle, or beguile.
They flattered him into contributing heavily to the foundation.
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to please or gratify by compliments or attentions.
I was flattered by their invitation.
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to feel satisfaction with (oneself), especially with reference to an accomplishment, act, or occasion.
He flattered himself that the dinner had gone well.
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to beguile with hope; encourage prematurely, falsely, etc.
verb (used without object)
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flatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flattered,
past participle, past
-
flattering
present participle
noun
-
a person or thing that makes something flat.
-
a flat-faced blacksmith's tool, laid on a forging and struck with a hammer to smooth the surface of the forging.
-
a drawplate with a flat orifice for drawing flat metal strips, as for watch springs.
verb
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to praise insincerely, esp in order to win favour or reward
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to show to advantage
that dress flatters her
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(tr) to make to appear more attractive, etc, than in reality
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to play upon or gratify the vanity of (a person)
it flatters her to be remembered
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(tr) to beguile with hope; encourage, esp falsely
this success flattered him into believing himself a champion
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(tr) to congratulate or deceive (oneself)
I flatter myself that I am the best
noun
-
a blacksmith's tool, resembling a flat-faced hammer, that is placed on forged work and struck to smooth the surface of the forging
-
a die with a narrow rectangular orifice for drawing flat sections
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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flattersimple
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flatterssimple
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have flatteredperfect
-
has flatteredperfect
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am flatteringprogressive
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are flatteringprogressive
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is flatteringprogressive
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have been flatteringperfect progressive
-
has been flatteringperfect progressive
Past
-
flatteredsimple
-
had flatteredperfect
-
was flatteringprogressive
-
were flatteringprogressive
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had been flatteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flatter1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English flat(t)eren “to float, flutter, fawn upon,” Old English floterian “to float, flutter”; for sense development, cf. flicker 1, Old Norse flathra; reinforced by Old French flatter “to flatter,” literally, “to stroke, caress” (probably from unattested Frankish flat- flat 1 )
Origin of flatter2
Explanation
When you flatter someone, you praise and compliment him or her — but you aren't totally sincere. You flatter your friend by telling her she's the best driver in the world. Because you want her to offer you a ride. The Old French flater originally meant "to stroke or caress," which is what you do to people's egos when you flatter them. When you flatter, you probably want something — it could be as simple as wanting someone to like you. That's why people who meet celebrities tell them they're the greatest. More positively, if your hairstyle flatters your face, it emphasizes your best features.
Vocabulary lists containing flatter
Dead End in Norvelt
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The Landry News
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Inherit the Wind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Favorable base effects should flatter retail sales although the boost from the government’s consumer-goods trade-in program is fading, Goldman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Leavitt, by never failing to placate, flatter and worship her boss, has displayed a singular and decisive pathway, although not a very original one, to political success.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
New ventures built with AI from the start offer a vision of how work might look elsewhere in the corporate world one day: a flatter structure with fewer co-workers where everyone is a player-coach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
But when Jurado sarcastically introduced the next speaker — “Your favorite, Lineage, will now present!” — the joke fell flatter than a solar panel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
He looked smaller and flatter than I had ever seen him.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Except for Iran, of course, which he alternately bombs, demonizes and flatters.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
But strip out the popular Mini Kelly handbag, which flatters the average premium, and larger versions of the Kelly and Birkin sell at par to retail prices once the auctioneers’ commission is factored in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026
Crypto markets have billions in wash trading — fake volume that flatters momentum and dupes newcomers.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 8, 2025
That flatters him a little, although more of his wickets were top-order dismissals than lower-order by the series' end - a reversal of his return at the start.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2025
Max flatters me but not in a sleazy way.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Hannover Re said currency effects weighed on its results due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, while last year’s depreciation of the greenback flattered its earnings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
“I was surprised — and flattered — to find myself on the guest list.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Again, I was surprised — and flattered — to find myself on the guest list, and naturally I wanted to know what the occasion was.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Burwell said he’s flattered by recent online praise from the likes of Ethel Cain, Flying Lotus and Kid Cudi for his score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
I knew it was silly, but they flattered me and said I was a beauty, and quantities of nonsense, so I let them make a fool of me.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
WSJ | Buy Side: Good Weather Skin’s Daily Lip Sun Gloss protects your lips from the sun’s rays while offering a subtle, flattering tint.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
"I find it flattering that someone of his stature has seen something in what I do as being interesting," Taylor responds.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
He decided to give classic jerseys a whirl, transforming them into more flattering silhouettes that accentuate a curvy torso.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
It is probably the most personally flattering work of presidential art ever commissioned.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
Mr. Randolph flattering the fat woman, and the fat woman eating it up like hot- fudge sundae with all the nuts.
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
