flatter

¹flat·ter

verb \ˈfla-tər\

: to praise (someone) in a way that is not sincere

: to cause (someone) to feel pleased by showing respect, affection, or admiration

: to show or describe (someone or something) in a way that is very favorable or too favorable

Full Definition of FLATTER

transitive verb

1

:  to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest

2

a archaic :  beguile 4

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>

intransitive verb

:  to use flattery

— flat·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun

— flat·ter·ing·ly \-tər-iŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of FLATTER

1. He flattered her with comments about her youthful appearance.
2. It flattered her to be asked to sing at their wedding.
3. That dress really flatters your figure.

Origin of FLATTER

Middle English flateren, from Anglo-French flater to lap, flatter, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German flaz flat

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to FLATTER

Synonyms

adulate, belaud, blarney, butter up, hero-worship, honey, massage, overpraise, puff, soft-soap, stroke

Related Words

blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; fawn, kowtow, suck (up to), toady; idolize, worship; eulogize, extol (also extoll), laud, praise; applaud, commend, compliment; congratulate, felicitate; drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, romance, woo

Near Antonyms

bad-mouth, belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, put down

Rhymes with FLATTER

attar, batter, blatter, chatter, clatter, hatter, latter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, platter, ratter, scatter, shatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter

²flatter

noun

Definition of FLATTER

:  one that flattens; especially :  a flat-faced swage used in smithing

First Known Use of FLATTER

1714

Other Hardware Terms

adze, auger, awl, chock, ferrule, punch, tang

Rhymes with FLATTER

batter, chatter, clatter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, scatter, shatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter