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
His visual approach, however, flattens the ensuing emotional layers.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Adrenaline surges don’t last forever, and overreliance on extreme rhetoric will flatten important differences between public-health problems.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Many tech companies have spent recent years flattening their structure by cutting middle management at a record rate.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
The product enhancements come as P&G reported flattened overall sales.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatten
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show current usage.
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Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Adrenaline surges don’t last forever, and overreliance on extreme rhetoric will flatten important differences between public-health problems.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Many tech companies have spent recent years flattening their structure by cutting middle management at a record rate.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
The product enhancements come as P&G reported flattened overall sales.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jan. 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 28 Jan. 2026.
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