flattened; flattening
ˈflat-niŋ 
ˈfla-tə-
: to make flat
flatten the dough into a disk
The dog flattened its ears.
: such as
a
: to make level or smooth
flattened the papers
b
: to knock down
houses flattened by the tornado
also
: to defeat decisively
got flattened in the first round of playoffs
c
: to make dull or uninspired
… small changes … that flatten a writer's style …—
John Gross
—often used with outJohn GrossIn thus flattening out a complicated story, the book misses an opportunity …—Tony Judt
Tony Judt
d
: to make lusterless
flatten paint
e
: to stabilize especially at a lower level
a candidate promising to flatten interest rates
: to become flat or flatter: such as
a
: to become dull or spiritless
b
: to extend in or into a flat position or form
c
: to become uniform or stabilized often at a new lower level
—usually used with out
prices flattening out
Examples of flatten in a Sentence
Dozens of houses were flattened by the tornado.
The boxer was flattened in the seventh round.
The team got flattened in the first round of the play-offs.
Prices are expected to flatten after the holiday shopping season.
Recent Examples on the Web
Most notably, the East Wing, which housed the offices of the first lady and her staff, was flattened in fall 2025 to make way for a grand ballroom projected to cost some US$400 million.
—Kevin D. Murphy, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
The Jewish diaspora is diverse in opinion on these matters and should not be flattened.
—Delia Ramirez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Stack pieces, tucking any unincorporated dry bits in between layers, and press down to flatten and combine.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
The vacuum’s swivel head flattens against the floor to slide under low-lying furniture.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatten
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Kevin D. Murphy, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
The Jewish diaspora is diverse in opinion on these matters and should not be flattened.
—Delia Ramirez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Stack pieces, tucking any unincorporated dry bits in between layers, and press down to flatten and combine.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
The vacuum’s swivel head flattens against the floor to slide under low-lying furniture.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Cite this Entry
“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatten. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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