1
as in smooths
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps
flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in buries
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
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Recent Examples of flattens
The current model flattens that context into colored cells on a dashboard.
—
Yonesy Nunez, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Franck may have good reasons to be terrorizing Nora’s family, but explaining them away only flattens his character as the titular party plays out like your average hostage scenario, with a few negligible tweaks and flourishes.
—Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 May 2026
Deal lethargy kills that electricity slowly, the way a slow leak flattens a tire.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Accessibility Not particularly, although the undulating ground flattens off around Nucciola and Amandula.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
But to deny Jackson’s complexity only flattens his genius—as well as his kindness and fragility—into something manageable, explainable.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 21 Apr. 2026
The vacuum’s swivel head flattens against the floor to slide under low-lying furniture.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The first concept expands the lottery to 18 teams and flattens odds heavily, with the bottom 10 teams each sitting at 8% to land the top pick and the remaining 20% distributed among the next eight teams, plus a drawing for all 18 picks.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Robby’s pivot is, of course, intentional, a way for The Pitt to highlight how burnout flattens committed frontline workers into people who simply can’t do it anymore.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Yonesy Nunez, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Franck may have good reasons to be terrorizing Nora’s family, but explaining them away only flattens his character as the titular party plays out like your average hostage scenario, with a few negligible tweaks and flourishes.
—Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 May 2026
Deal lethargy kills that electricity slowly, the way a slow leak flattens a tire.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Accessibility Not particularly, although the undulating ground flattens off around Nucciola and Amandula.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
But to deny Jackson’s complexity only flattens his genius—as well as his kindness and fragility—into something manageable, explainable.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 21 Apr. 2026
The vacuum’s swivel head flattens against the floor to slide under low-lying furniture.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The first concept expands the lottery to 18 teams and flattens odds heavily, with the bottom 10 teams each sitting at 8% to land the top pick and the remaining 20% distributed among the next eight teams, plus a drawing for all 18 picks.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Robby’s pivot is, of course, intentional, a way for The Pitt to highlight how burnout flattens committed frontline workers into people who simply can’t do it anymore.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flattens
Verb
-
Specifically, retinol smooths fine lines, lessens wrinkle depth, and whittles the appearance of large pores.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
-
Rick is tightly scheduled, punctilious to a fault, endowed with verbal wit that gently but firmly shapes and smooths social interactions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
But New England’s trade effectively grants Brown the proverbial Change Of Scenery that buries the receiver’s unsaid motivations.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Just keep in mind that Google buries the reporting tools deep in the admin console.—
John Brandon,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
As the realization that nothing—or no one—will be enough overcomes the final bridge, a flurry of drums gallop in and the track explodes into fireworks as Rodrigo screams her guts out.—
Quinn Moreland,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
-
The system also overcomes the volatile risks of gas storage entirely by chemically locking hydrogen into a solid metal hydride during both charging and discharging.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead of a withering blast that annihilates you instantly, the real killer would be a highly elevated risk of cancer and degenerative diseases over time.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
Dreams blend and bend time; death annihilates it, and Miller’s play is both.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That is, until a conversation about having children throws their relationship into a tailspin.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
The next season will follow up with the pair after the season-one finale, in which newcomer Hunter Davenport (Charlie Evans) throws a wrench in Dean and Allie’s secret relationship.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Wild scenes unfold as social media teen meetup overwhelms popular beach.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
This high-corn composition lays the foundation for a sweet, approachable profile, while the modest rye content adds a measured spice that never overwhelms.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
-
Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Recognizing the month or opting out sends a message that upsets somebody regardless of the choice.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
Saint Mary’s, which made the field by winning the WCC tournament, is not new to NCAA Tournament upsets.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flattens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flattens. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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