flattering

American  

[flat-er-ing] / ˈflæt ər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. enhancing the appearance of a person or thing, as by highlighting pleasing features or making less pleasing ones inconspicuous.

   You'll receive expert advice on the most flattering shades of makeup for your complexion.

2. causing a person or thing to seem better or more attractive than is really the case.

   She avoids the weakness of many memoirs by not creating an overly flattering picture of herself or her parents.

3. pleasing or gratifying someone by attention or compliments.

   The publisher sent me a very flattering invitation to write a study of Robert Browning.

4. praising or complimenting someone insincerely or excessively, especially in an attempt to curry favor.

   I’m a remarkably accurate judge of people’s character, and am not misled by flattering words or nice clothes.

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noun

1. the act of attempting to curry favor by praising or complimenting someone insincerely or excessively.

   After a glass of cognac and much flattering and coaxing, he did finally grant our request.

Other Word Forms

• flatteringly adverb
• half-flattering adjective
• half-flatteringly adverb
• unflattering adjective
• unflatteringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of flattering

First recorded in 1200–50; flatter ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; flatter ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

“You can talk about yourself in a way that’s flattering, while paying service to those who worked for you or with you,” she said.

From MarketWatch

Lululemon got its start as an innovator in athletic apparel, designing leggings that were so flattering and comfortable that women wore them to the gym and just about everywhere else.

From The Wall Street Journal

The movie is flattering, but it’s also genuinely revealing, and it’s clearly reaching an audience that never expected to be so enthralled by research about protein structures.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet the study has received flattering publicity from journalists eager to believe.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 73-year-old retired clown started in fourth grade, with a poem about his teacher; it wasn’t flattering, but he got a kick out of saying what he thought.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• complimentary