Showing results for "flatter"

• comparative of flat.

flatter

¹ American  

[flat-er] / ˈflæt ər /

verb (used with object)

• flatters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flattered,
  past participle,  past
• flattering
  present participle

1. to try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.

2. to praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively.

   She flatters him by constantly praising his books.

3. to represent favorably; gratify by falsification.

   The portrait flatters her.

4. to show to advantage.

   a hairstyle that flatters the face.

5. to play upon the vanity or susceptibilities of; cajole, wheedle, or beguile.

   They flattered him into contributing heavily to the foundation.

6. to please or gratify by compliments or attentions.

   I was flattered by their invitation.

7. to feel satisfaction with (oneself), especially with reference to an accomplishment, act, or occasion.

   He flattered himself that the dinner had gone well.

8. to beguile with hope; encourage prematurely, falsely, etc.

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verb (used without object)

• flatters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flattered,
  past participle,  past
• flattering
  present participle

1. to use flattery.

flatter ² American  

[flat-er] / ˈflæt ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that makes something flat.

2. a flat-faced blacksmith's tool, laid on a forging and struck with a hammer to smooth the surface of the forging.

3. a drawplate with a flat orifice for drawing flat metal strips, as for watch springs.

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flatter ¹ British  

/ ˈflætə /

verb

1. to praise insincerely, esp in order to win favour or reward

2. to show to advantage

   that dress flatters her

3. (tr) to make to appear more attractive, etc, than in reality

4. to play upon or gratify the vanity of (a person)

   it flatters her to be remembered

5. (tr) to beguile with hope; encourage, esp falsely

   this success flattered him into believing himself a champion

6. (tr) to congratulate or deceive (oneself)

   I flatter myself that I am the best

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flatter ² British  

/ ˈflætə /

noun

1. a blacksmith's tool, resembling a flat-faced hammer, that is placed on forged work and struck to smooth the surface of the forging

2. a die with a narrow rectangular orifice for drawing flat sections

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• flatterer
  noun
• flatterable
  adjective
• unflatterable
  adjective
• flatteringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• flattering
  present
• flattered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• flatter
  simple
• flatters
  simple
• have flattered
  perfect
• has flattered
  perfect
• am flattering
  progressive
• are flattering
  progressive
• is flattering
  progressive
• have been flattering
  perfect progressive
• has been flattering
  perfect progressive

Past

• flattered
  simple
• had flattered
  perfect
• was flattering
  progressive
• were flattering
  progressive
• had been flattering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will flatter
  simple
• will have flattered
  perfect
• will be flattering
  progressive
• will have been flattering
  perfect progressive

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

First recorded in 1705–15; flat ¹ + -er ¹

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flatter flatters flattered flattering

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

By the end of the decade, though, he’d shifted to flatter, less brushy scenes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 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

The comparisons and the praise flatter him, said Messi, who then used the same words to describe Yamal as the best.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

I focus on the television, paying attention to how mouths shape the flatter American sounds and that rolling r.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

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

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 didn't give him a sniff and when I had to put him in trouble I did. The result flatters me a little bit," Hawkins told BBC Sport.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2023

So Trout keeps body and soul together as a circulation man for the Ilium Gazette, manages newspaper delivery boys, bullies and flatters and cheats little kids.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Mourinho said he was "very flattered" to be offered the job of replacing Ferguson "because Manchester United has an incredible appeal".

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 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

Still, this was partly flattered by a front-loading of activity in March as businesses sought to get ahead of higher energy costs and supply-chain disruptions caused by conflict in the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

So we thought it would be a good idea for her to be married to him, and since she was flattered by the notion, we’ve decided to call her Mrs. Beaverbrook from now on.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Irritating but never truly dangerous, his antagonism is a safety valve for the class system and a flattering diversion for its proprietors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

She had taken photos of her everyday life - a nice dinner, a selfie when the lighting was particularly flattering.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 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

President Senghor was a scholar and a poet, and he told us he was collecting research material on Shaka, flattering us by asking numerous questions about that great South African warrior.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• charm