flatter
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
flatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flattered,
past participle, past
-
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.
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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)
-
flatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flattered,
past participle, past
-
flattering
present participle
noun
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a person or thing that makes something flat.
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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
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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
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flatteredsimple
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had flatteredperfect
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was flatteringprogressive
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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
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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:
In response to complaints of speeding, he said, Raman’s office helped get four speed tables — a flatter, wider version of speed bumps — installed in the intersection near his business last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Yet even moving to a flatter yield-curve environment can have negative consequences.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Whatever the assignment was supposed to accomplish, it did not appease the man it was designed to flatter.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026
Lamanna says he now runs a flatter organization with an emphasis on player-coaches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
It was almost perfect, just a fraction flatter and shakier than Betty Jean’s voice had been, the o’s and ah’s parodies of Betty Jean’s pretentious ones.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
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
Popular entertainment not only diverts viewers; it habitually flatters them.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2024
Shortly after being banished, a disguised Kent flatters King Lear by telling him that he has that quality that leads other men to follow.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2023
“I’m not certain, Mr. Hanson, whether this yellow silk flatters my features,” she fussed.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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
These include higher research and development capitalization that helped automotive margins, and a 300-million-euro partner prepayment that flattered free cash flow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
In 2019 he told the Daily Mail that he was flattered by the attention but didn’t consider himself to be male-model material.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 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
They didn’t admit it, even to each other, but they had both been flattered by Ken’s and Toby’s respectful interest.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Adelaide can’t be a beacon, only a flattering mirror.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
This is why the sight of empty seats in high school gymnasiums and muted cable coverage that tell a less flattering story cuts so deeply.
From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026
Even by boxing's recent standards, the past 24 hours have been extraordinary - and not a particularly flattering look for the sport.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
In the absence of information, you’ll likely choose the most flattering answer.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026
“Well, that’s kind of flattering if you think about it.”
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
