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
As the explosion grew larger and smacked into nearby matter, the shape started flattening while the ejecta’s axis of symmetry remained stable.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2025
Cooking turkey in pieces or roasting a spatchcocked turkey (removing the backbone and flattening the bird) reduces the risk of dry breast meat and also shortens your total cooking time, according to Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2025
Then, as the explosion spread outwards and collided with the star’s surrounding matter, the shape flattened.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
But with year-round demand from heat pumps, EVs and data centers, the curve may flatten into a more constant load.
—Michaila Byrne, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2025
Cooking turkey in pieces or roasting a spatchcocked turkey (removing the backbone and flattening the bird) reduces the risk of dry breast meat and also shortens your total cooking time, according to Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2025
Then, as the explosion spread outwards and collided with the star’s surrounding matter, the shape flattened.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
But with year-round demand from heat pumps, EVs and data centers, the curve may flatten into a more constant load.
—Michaila Byrne, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Cite this Entry
“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatten. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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