flattered; flattering; flatters
1
: to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest
He flattered her with comments about how youthful she looks.
2
a
archaic
: beguile sense 2
b
: to encourage or gratify especially with the assurance that something is right
I flatter myself that my interpretation is correct.
3
a
: to portray too favorably
The portrait flatters him.
b
: to display to advantage
Candlelight often flatters the face.
: to use flattery
Synonyms
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
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Strangers are more likely to be flattered than befuddled.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
This viral wavy dress—made to flatter all body types—exemplifies the brand's singular vision.
—Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024
Witness the smooth and delicate foie gras parfait, served in little tufts and flattered with singed orange segments.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Johnson seldom wastes an opportunity to flatter a Republican colleague.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
Holbein’s portraits are renowned for their verisimilitude, but in Anne’s case, the painter may have flattered his sitter.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
But the suggestion flattered Garcia, who also appreciated Johnson’s tone of humility.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a point of flattering Trump and stroking his ego to smooth relations.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024
Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2023
The all-over ruching slims and flatters, while the mid-rise waist offers a little extra support around the midriff.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023
This suit fits like a dream — flatters and covers all the right places.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 29 June 2023
Cut from a breathable poplin cotton into an A-line cut that's smocked, the Mimi dress flatters to no end.
—harpersbazaar.com, 9 May 2023
The signs have long since been phased out by San Francisco officials for a flatter, decidedly less cool design, but Zotto was able to recreate their distinctive font using historic photos.
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2021
Thats because the blue light tends to enhance all those imperfections that a soft glow flatters.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 26 Feb. 2020
Claflin and Munn, the film's de facto leads, fare quite a measure worse, owing to their substantial lack of chemistry and line readings that fall flatter than a drunken uncle at the reception.
—Isaac Feldberg, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2020
The graph has two slopes, an extremely steep one and another that is much flatter and extends over a longer period of time.
—Anna Kuchment, Dallas News, 14 Mar. 2020
Verb
Boasting an impressive 56 percent off discount, this cotton blend sweater is the perfect silhouette to flatter your figure without leaving you feeling restricted, while the simple style remains versatile enough for a multitude of outfit opportunities.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Strangers are more likely to be flattered than befuddled.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
This viral wavy dress—made to flatter all body types—exemplifies the brand's singular vision.
—Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024
Witness the smooth and delicate foie gras parfait, served in little tufts and flattered with singed orange segments.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Johnson seldom wastes an opportunity to flatter a Republican colleague.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
Holbein’s portraits are renowned for their verisimilitude, but in Anne’s case, the painter may have flattered his sitter.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
But the suggestion flattered Garcia, who also appreciated Johnson’s tone of humility.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a point of flattering Trump and stroking his ego to smooth relations.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024
Noun
But House Hunters appeals to, flatters, and even occasionally tuts at the same set of concerns and desires as those other shows.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2023
The all-over ruching slims and flatters, while the mid-rise waist offers a little extra support around the midriff.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023
This suit fits like a dream — flatters and covers all the right places.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 29 June 2023
Cut from a breathable poplin cotton into an A-line cut that's smocked, the Mimi dress flatters to no end.
—harpersbazaar.com, 9 May 2023
The signs have long since been phased out by San Francisco officials for a flatter, decidedly less cool design, but Zotto was able to recreate their distinctive font using historic photos.
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2021
Thats because the blue light tends to enhance all those imperfections that a soft glow flatters.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 26 Feb. 2020
Claflin and Munn, the film's de facto leads, fare quite a measure worse, owing to their substantial lack of chemistry and line readings that fall flatter than a drunken uncle at the reception.
—Isaac Feldberg, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2020
The graph has two slopes, an extremely steep one and another that is much flatter and extends over a longer period of time.
—Anna Kuchment, Dallas News, 14 Mar. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flatter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flatter
Cite this Entry
“Flatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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