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
Glasnow dealt with Friday’s elements – both the cold and the altitude that threatens to flatten out any pitch mix – just fine.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
This would essentially be doubling down on flattening the odds, which was already tested in 2019 and empirically did not reduce tanking.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Residents returning to southern villages and Beirut suburbs find entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, with buildings flattened and infrastructure destroyed by weeks of intensive strikes.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Entire rows of power poles were flattened.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatten
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Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
This would essentially be doubling down on flattening the odds, which was already tested in 2019 and empirically did not reduce tanking.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Residents returning to southern villages and Beirut suburbs find entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, with buildings flattened and infrastructure destroyed by weeks of intensive strikes.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Entire rows of power poles were flattened.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 15 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 27 Apr. 2026.
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