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

Derived Forms

• half-flattered
  adjective
• unflattered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of flattered

flatter ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Kemi Badenoch has said she is flattered by rapper Nicki Minaj's comments comparing the Conservative leader to Margaret Thatcher.

From BBC • May 15, 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

“This is unexpected. I’m flattered that you would propose a merger with Citigroup.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

The results look mixed, with earnings flattered by taxes and its corporate center, and guidance for the year ahead is modest, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Fremande was oddly flattered; he did not know why.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara