flatter
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.
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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)
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.
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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
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a blacksmith's tool, resembling a flat-faced hammer, that is placed on forged work and struck to smooth the surface of the forging
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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
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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
Dead End in Norvelt
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The Landry News
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Inherit the Wind
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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:
But when Jurado sarcastically introduced the next speaker — “Your favorite, Lineage, will now present!” — the joke fell flatter than a solar panel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Beijing put on a spectacle designed to flatter Trump ahead of any deal to prove China's door is open to guests.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
Armstrong said that Coinbase will adopt a flatter organizational structure, give managers more responsibilities and concentrate on “AI-native talent” who can manage fleets of AI agents.
From MarketWatch ● May 5, 2026
You will see, especially among younger people, more entrepreneurs launching smaller businesses or flatter structures as a result of these tools.
From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026
“Mr. Randolph, you could flatter the stripe off a polecat.”
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" 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
But it also flatters the ego of the raw milk enthusiast, who is convinced he's part of an elite group with special access to knowledge that ordinary people can't or won't access.
From Salon ● Dec. 26, 2024
Liverpool's 2-0 win, not a scoreline that flatters them, made it five wins from five in the Champions League to put them top of the new format’s table.
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2024
“I’m not certain, Mr. Hanson, whether this yellow silk flatters my features,” she fussed.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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
With a hint of sarcasm she said that she was "flattered" by the level of interest in her voice in the same week that the prime minister announced his resignation.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
The U.S. per capita figure is flattered by a small cohort of fabulously successful companies, which create a cohort of fabulously wealthy entrepreneurs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
“I am none of those,” said Taran, feeling quite flattered that Eilonwy should have taken him for any one of them.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
"That's why even some of my friends say things which are not flattering, because somebody said to them that somebody might persuade me to change my view."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
On the strategy of effusively flattering Trump to keep the summit on track, Valasek said: “It’s a terrible system, of course, but better than any other alternative.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Whether it be screen printing powerful messages on a traditional tee, or upcycling large shirts into more flattering silhouettes, creatives are finding innovative ways to show off their pride.
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
He simply did not want contact from anyone he didn’t know, and he made it quite clear, peremptorily, to Jack Collins that no mail—even important, flattering, or personal messages—should be forwarded to him.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions 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.
