flattered; flattering; flatters
1
: to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest
He flattered her with comments about how well she'd done.
2
archaic
: beguile sense 2
3
a
: to encourage or gratify by showing respect or admiration
They flattered me by asking me to speak.
b
: to congratulate (oneself) with respect to something
I flatter myself that my interpretation is correct.
4
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
Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
The normally Trump-friendly Daily Caller ran a less-than-flattering piece about the president berating a reporter for asking about troop deployments.
—Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
When compared to other free-hanging wilderness shelters, there are lighter hammock systems out there, but unlike the typical two-point setup of a hammock, each Tentstile tent uses a triangular three-strap setup to create a flatter, stabler floor.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatter
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Verb
While intending to flatter his primary audience, King Philip II, as the one true ruler of all Iberian possessions, the official may have protested too much.
—Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
The normally Trump-friendly Daily Caller ran a less-than-flattering piece about the president berating a reporter for asking about troop deployments.
—Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
Its launch of ChatGPT-5 in August was a disaster, as the new model had a flatter, more terse personality, as well as an alarming inability to answer basic questions.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
When compared to other free-hanging wilderness shelters, there are lighter hammock systems out there, but unlike the typical two-point setup of a hammock, each Tentstile tent uses a triangular three-strap setup to create a flatter, stabler floor.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatter
Cite this Entry
“Flatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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