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
Sourced from a military memorabilia trader in Dallas, Texas, the helmet was flattened in a press, rather than with a hammer, to preserve its original markings and imperfections.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Winds have toppled trees and power lines and have flattened homes.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Curves plotting model performance against size have begun flattening out.
—James Somers, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Barring additional disruptions, analysts expect prices to flatten in a few days.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
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Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Winds have toppled trees and power lines and have flattened homes.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Curves plotting model performance against size have begun flattening out.
—James Somers, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Barring additional disruptions, analysts expect prices to flatten in a few days.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 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 11 Nov. 2025.
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