FLATTEN Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

flatten

verb

ˈfla-tᵊn

Definition of flatten

as in to smooth

to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bury

to defeat by a large margin if you don't understand the rules, you're going to get flattened when you try to play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of flatten The software does a decent job of automatically recognizing the edges of the paper, cropping or tilting pages when necessary, and flattening the curves characteristic of facing pages in bound books. — David English, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026 Using the textured side of a meat mallet, gently pound the meat until it’s slightly flattened, creating indentations all over the surface. — Natalia Vela, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026 Meanwhile, using the flat side of a meat mallet, flatten chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap until 1/4 inch thick. — Maddy Bendgen, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026 In either case, had the truck not responded at all, the car would have been flattened and its occupants would not likely have survived at those speeds. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flatten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatten

Verb

The relaxed legs offer plenty of room to move, while the elegant pleats create a flattering drape that helps smooth visible lines.

— Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2026
Unlike a traditional body lotion, the moisturizer’s lightweight, milky texture softens skin, smooths rough patches, and relieves dryness sans the greasy film.

— Madison San Miguel, Allure, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of smooth

Verb

In addition to those killed, Zelenskyy said 30 more people could still be buried in the rubble.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
Auwaerter, who was not part of the study, said the data didn't distinguish consumption from external exposure — in other words, the hair could have picked up traces of weed simply by being buried together with it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of bury

Verb

Interviews with the Democratic governor-elect and a half-dozen top advisers reveal how Bottoms overcame that enormous financial disadvantage to pull off a historic victory.

— Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
When Garnett’s father passed in 2014, she was overcome by grief, so the majority of his clothes went to charity.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of overcome

Verb

Each man wins one round of the fight before it’s broken up, ensuring there’s no clear winner — but the mere fact that Cliff was able to throw a martial arts legend into the side of a car is a feather in his cap.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2026
The ball was wet, leading to a few fumbles, while Fagnano couldn’t handle the pressure the Jaguars threw at him on his clear pass downs, leading to two interceptions.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of throw

Verb

Magnetic fields and an extreme vacuum — so extreme that no pressure gauge can measure it — ensure that the antiprotons don’t prematurely encounter ordinary protons, which would annihilate both.

— George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Hell, Ella Langley has been annihilating the Billboard charts lately.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of annihilate

Verb

There’s getting into shape and then there’s whipping a company into shape, preparing it for the fast-moving future.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026
Now comes Denver, which whipped the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 because Carolina couldn’t handle the Broncos’ pass rush.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of whip

Verb

That levity is something Great Jobs could use more of; the mood can occasionally be so smothering as to descend into mild sterility.

— Lisle Younger, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
The fabulous Scope visual palette is still there but adding the IMAX brand turns out to complement it rather than smother it.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of smother

Verb

Efforts to rescue people Monday evening were hindered as Russian drones launched additional attacks in the area that had been bombed, according to Mykhailo Semikin, a military official in Zaporizhzhia.

— Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
The technology has already been used to bomb elementary school students, scam seniors, and drive dozens of vulnerable users to suicide.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of bomb

Browse Nearby Words

flat taxes

flatten

flattened

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“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatten. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of flatten

verb

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