flattered; flattering; flatters
1
: to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest
He flattered her with comments about how well she'd done.
2
archaic
: beguile sense 2
3
a
: to encourage or gratify by showing respect or admiration
They flattered me by asking me to speak.
b
: to congratulate (oneself) with respect to something
I flatter myself that my interpretation is correct.
4
a
: to portray too favorably
The portrait flatters him.
b
: to display to advantage
Candlelight often flatters the face.
: to use flattery
Examples of flatter in a Sentence
Verb
He flattered her with comments about her youthful appearance.
It flattered her to be asked to sing at their wedding.
That dress really flatters your figure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2025
Unlike other evergreens, a fir like this one will look darker, and its needles—which come out of the sides of each branch rather than around it—appear longer and flatter, giving it a distinctive shape.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025
Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2025
Compared to that cleaner, more architectural shape, the lace-up pair at the press conference offered a traditional combat construction — flatter, heavier, and closer to workwear lineage than runway hybrid.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatter
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Verb
Pinup Plus-Size Long-Sleeve Dress This long-sleeve dress has a babydoll-style cut that is flattering for plus-sized bodies.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2025
Unlike other evergreens, a fir like this one will look darker, and its needles—which come out of the sides of each branch rather than around it—appear longer and flatter, giving it a distinctive shape.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025
Noun
Minis from Retrofete and Aligne flatter shorter torsos, while longer picks from & Other Stories and Staud will fit like maxis.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2025
Compared to that cleaner, more architectural shape, the lace-up pair at the press conference offered a traditional combat construction — flatter, heavier, and closer to workwear lineage than runway hybrid.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatter
Cite this Entry
“Flatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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