1
as in to smooth
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps
flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bury
to defeat by a large margin
if you don't understand the rules, you're going to get flattened when you try to play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flatten
Abed Rahim Khatib / dap via AP Israel’s ensuing offensive has flattened much of the enclave, killed tens of thousands of civilians and engendered the kind of anger that could create thousands of potential recruits.
—
Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
Other insects, like the tiny grey butterflies and the pale cloudy-yellow ones who danced above my head, as well as the lethe butterflies – the ones that flattened their wings upon the soil.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Compression packing cubes, in particular, are critical for saving space and flattening clothes as much as possible.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
The mudslide sent rivers of mud, boulders and debris that flattened homes and left 23 people dead in its wake.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
Other insects, like the tiny grey butterflies and the pale cloudy-yellow ones who danced above my head, as well as the lethe butterflies – the ones that flattened their wings upon the soil.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Compression packing cubes, in particular, are critical for saving space and flattening clothes as much as possible.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
The mudslide sent rivers of mud, boulders and debris that flattened homes and left 23 people dead in its wake.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatten
Verb
-
Its style was in many ways a refinement of the final run of Diablos, smoothing and polishing the old car’s edges while adding strength and modernity to the design.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Gradually shifting bedtime and wake-up time by 10 to 15 minutes over several nights can help smooth the transition and get everyone back on schedule.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and University College London have found that humans can detect objects buried in sand without directly touching them.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Fortunately, modern nandina cultivars like 'Lemon-Lime' from the Southern Living Plant Collection have been bred to overcome these problems.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Everyone around the grave threw a flower into it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Moss has thrown for 1,929 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions, and he was named last week among the 10 finalists for the Johnny United Golden Arm Award, honoring the nation’s top upperclassman college QB.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sides of salad, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, whipped sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, buttered corn, stuffing and cranberry sauce can be purchased a la carte.—
Elaine Rewolinski,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Somebody could come up and whip us.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Residents have been forced to eat animal food and hides as community kitchens are bombed.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
-
An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In theory, a superintelligent AI would pursue its own goals, and if those goals are incompatible with sustaining human life, we will be annihilated.—
Andrea Miotti,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
-
It's designed to match players of similar skills into game lobbies and create a gameplay experience that doesn't pit new or casual players against hard-core players or pros who will likely annihilate them.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Burn a candle, for example, and the flame will quickly smother itself as smoke crowds around the wick with no oxygen to feed it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Smothered Turf The wet leaves smother the grass by blocking sunlight, reducing photosynthesis, and slowing oxygen flow to the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatten. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share