flattered

American  

[flat-erd] / ˈflæt ərd /

adjective

1. feeling gratified or honored by unexpected favorable attention, as an invitation or compliment.

   Thank you so much for linking to my recipe; I'm beyond flattered!

2. praised or complimented in an insincere way, usually as a form of manipulation.

   Having received the supreme compliment from his guru, the flattered and now penniless devotee offered to work for him for nothing.

---

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of flatter.

Other Word Forms

• half-flattered
  adjective
• unflattered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of flattered

flatter ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

It was generally in a way that flattered their returns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

The reasons have to do with how accountants treat all that AI spending, plus some longer-term trends that have flattered corporate profitability.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Flustered, but flattered, Dianne is preparing to sign a napkin when the fan explains that she especially liked the sitcom “Bless This Mess.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

And while Godoy is flattered that people assume he’s just as easygoing and self-assured as Luffy, he’s still working on getting closer to him.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

I should have been flattered that she cared, but I hated the feeling of every student in the classroom looking at me, despising me.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson