1
as in to smooth
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps
flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flatten
The Longview Steakhouse Located on the eastern edge of Kananaskis, where the mountains flatten out, this eponymous steakhouse is known as much for its long prairie views as its tender cuts of beef.
—
Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
With a combination down and feather fill, this pillow is supportive but not firm, still allowing a sink-down feeling without flattening completely.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Those past titles didn’t come amid this new era of unlimited transfers and name, image and likeness money, which have flattened the top of the sport.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2025
Working with one piece at a time, pull one corner and fold it into the top of the dough, pressing lightly and taking care not to flatten it.
—Katie Parla, Saveur, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
With a combination down and feather fill, this pillow is supportive but not firm, still allowing a sink-down feeling without flattening completely.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Those past titles didn’t come amid this new era of unlimited transfers and name, image and likeness money, which have flattened the top of the sport.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2025
Working with one piece at a time, pull one corner and fold it into the top of the dough, pressing lightly and taking care not to flatten it.
—Katie Parla, Saveur, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatten
Verb
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Its style was in many ways a refinement of the final run of Diablos, smoothing and polishing the old car’s edges while adding strength and modernity to the design.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
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Gradually shifting bedtime and wake-up time by 10 to 15 minutes over several nights can help smooth the transition and get everyone back on schedule.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and University College London have found that humans can detect objects buried in sand without directly touching them.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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Fortunately, modern nandina cultivars like 'Lemon-Lime' from the Southern Living Plant Collection have been bred to overcome these problems.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Everyone around the grave threw a flower into it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Moss has thrown for 1,929 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions, and he was named last week among the 10 finalists for the Johnny United Golden Arm Award, honoring the nation’s top upperclassman college QB.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sides of salad, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, whipped sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, buttered corn, stuffing and cranberry sauce can be purchased a la carte.—
Elaine Rewolinski,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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Somebody could come up and whip us.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Residents have been forced to eat animal food and hides as community kitchens are bombed.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
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An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In theory, a superintelligent AI would pursue its own goals, and if those goals are incompatible with sustaining human life, we will be annihilated.—
Andrea Miotti,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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It's designed to match players of similar skills into game lobbies and create a gameplay experience that doesn't pit new or casual players against hard-core players or pros who will likely annihilate them.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Burn a candle, for example, and the flame will quickly smother itself as smoke crowds around the wick with no oxygen to feed it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
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Smothered Turf The wet leaves smother the grass by blocking sunlight, reducing photosynthesis, and slowing oxygen flow to the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatten. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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