1
as in smoothing
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
2
as in whipping
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 flattening
Compression packing cubes, in particular, are critical for saving space and flattening clothes as much as possible.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
The bowl diffuser features aluminum plates that heat up to expedite your dry time, and the comb attachment helps detangle without flattening out your ringlets.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
Live Translation, in aiming to fix all that messiness in an algorithm streamed through Bluetooth earbuds, is not opening human communication up so much as flattening it.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Manufacturing was the main drag on growth, flattening after a 5% expansion in the second quarter.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
The movie flattening Carrie into someone downtrodden and fragile, rather than standoffish and conflicted, makes the whole resolution feel a little too clean.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Engage your lower abdominal muscles by tucking your pelvis and flattening the curve in your lower back by lowering it to the floor or drawing your belly button to the floor.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2025
Those blockbusters happen to an audience, flattening them with a bombast their living rooms can’t replicate.
—Robert Rubsam, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Getty Images The NWS attributes the spike in temperatures to a high-pressure ridge trapping hot, dry air over the region and flattening the marine layer, allowing heat to reach coastal communities.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
The bowl diffuser features aluminum plates that heat up to expedite your dry time, and the comb attachment helps detangle without flattening out your ringlets.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
Live Translation, in aiming to fix all that messiness in an algorithm streamed through Bluetooth earbuds, is not opening human communication up so much as flattening it.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Manufacturing was the main drag on growth, flattening after a 5% expansion in the second quarter.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
The movie flattening Carrie into someone downtrodden and fragile, rather than standoffish and conflicted, makes the whole resolution feel a little too clean.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Engage your lower abdominal muscles by tucking your pelvis and flattening the curve in your lower back by lowering it to the floor or drawing your belly button to the floor.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2025
Those blockbusters happen to an audience, flattening them with a bombast their living rooms can’t replicate.
—Robert Rubsam, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Getty Images The NWS attributes the spike in temperatures to a high-pressure ridge trapping hot, dry air over the region and flattening the marine layer, allowing heat to reach coastal communities.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flattening
Verb
-
The jeans’ gap-proof waistband, stomach-smoothing technology, high-rise fit perfect for layering over bodysuits, and chic black hue.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The pumpkin powerhouse smoothing and exfoliating lip mask was a personal favorite, lasting for hours on our lips.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In one short, a young Stuckmann, dressed as Harrison Ford's lasso-whipping adventurer, jumps onto the back of a moving car.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Mash as desired, either with a potato masher or by whipping with an electric mixer.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Recently that ranged from a man in his 70s who lost his childhood sweetheart to cancer to a woman who was burying her beloved horse.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
-
In the Balkans and Turkey, some traditional recipes called for dropping ants into warm milk, covering it with cheesecloth, and burying the whole thing in an ant mound overnight.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Penix and London, along with Bijan Robinson, have been heavily involved in Atlanta's offense this season, so regardless of who the opponent is missing, overcoming the loss of your starting quarterback and leading pass catcher will be a tough task.—
Cameron Belcher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
But there's also a lot of stories of people overcoming a lot of obstacles, and that's synonymous with what Kayla has done.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Earlier in the week, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing the capital, Kabul, and a market in the country's east.—
NPR,
NPR,
12 Oct. 2025
-
For months, Israel has conducted a campaign of airstrikes across Syria, repeatedly bombing Syrian military positions, including near the presidential palace in Damascus.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Compressing multiyear pre-construction cycles into days or weeks and trimming 20% off project costs could expand supply faster than most policy interventions.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
-
After cutting and trimming any splinters, place the stakes behind the trellis.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Jourdan is a relatively calm ghost (staff report objects being moved around the restaurant), but there’s a slightly more active spirit in the Courtyard Bar, where there have been three instances of an unknown source throwing a glass from across the room.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The duo is throwing a party—Eileen will be there, along with her current paramour, also a collaborator in her work, Thea Clifton (Imogen Poots)—though tragedy will strike by the night’s end.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Oh, and stopping the Soviets from annihilating the world.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
24 Sep. 2025
-
As a result, Israel preserved its existence without annihilating vast opposition forces.—
ANDRIY ZAGORODNYUK,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flattening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flattening. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share