flattered; flattering; flatters
1
: to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest
He flattered her with comments about how youthful she looks.
2
a
archaic
: beguile sense 2
b
: to encourage or gratify especially with the assurance that something is right
I flatter myself that my interpretation is correct.
3
a
: to portray too favorably
The portrait flatters him.
b
: to display to advantage
Candlelight often flatters the face.
: to use flattery
Examples of flatter in a Sentence
Verb
He flattered her with comments about her youthful appearance.
It flattered her to be asked to sing at their wedding.
That dress really flatters your figure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Its creamy texture spreads beautifully, the tapered point defines lips effortlessly, and the 12-color shade range is home to nudes, pinks, and reds that flatter a variety of skin tones (something else McGrath is known for nailing).
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 10 Oct. 2025
Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Everton appear locked in a cycle where their starting No 9 flatters to deceive, is left out for the next game, but then the replacement fares little better.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatter
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Verb
But alas, as those packages pile up outside your apartment door, the boxes inevitably contain a plethora of lulus and turkeys, things that barely fit or flatter you, made of fabric whose cheesiness could not be discerned from the AI photos on the internet.
—Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Its creamy texture spreads beautifully, the tapered point defines lips effortlessly, and the 12-color shade range is home to nudes, pinks, and reds that flatter a variety of skin tones (something else McGrath is known for nailing).
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Not only that, the mid-rise design fits and flatters almost everyone, and Levi’s are notorious for lasting forever.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Everton appear locked in a cycle where their starting No 9 flatters to deceive, is left out for the next game, but then the replacement fares little better.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatter
Cite this Entry
“Flatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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