flattery

noun

ˈfla-tə-rē How to pronounce flattery (audio)
Definition of flatterynext
as in praise
excessive praise a talk show host who is known for charming her guests with disingenuous flattery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 flattery Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and that's exactly why beautiful paint colors are subject to overuse. — Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due. — Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026 That, plus a golden iPhone (or key to the city) and a bit of flattery, should do the trick. — Ravi Gupta, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026 Hadley learned that Vintilla had been working as a restaurant hostess in London when Andrew connected with her on Instagram and began bombarding her with flattery. — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flattery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flattery
  1. praise
  2. adulation
  3. acclaim
  4. adoration
  5. sweet talk
Noun
  • But amid the praise, Clark made sure to commend her teammates, too.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • While the building initially drew praise for its architecture and ambitious curatorial direction, a subsequent Curbed investigation introduced a more complicated picture of the project.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • The people standing included A-list Hollywood stars and world leaders, all giving the Prince and Princess of Wales a very public show of respect and adulation.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
  • Fans showered Ovechkin with cheers and adulation, despite his refusal to acknowledge the surrounding uncertainty.
    — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of adulation
Noun
  • Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey* has premiered to widespread acclaim, solidifying his unique standing in the film industry.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The Automated Ball-Strike system debuted this season to widespread acclaim.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of acclaim
Noun
  • Part of that adoration comes from a high level of public awareness about wildlife and conservation in Tasmania, home to many endemic species found nowhere else in the world.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Marylanders showed their adoration by naming Montgomery County for him.
    — Sarah M.S. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • Watch an encounter full of sweet talk, gaslighting and tension here.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Don’t fall for compliments that don’t feel genuine, and don’t be afraid to confront whatever’s beneath someone’s sweet talk.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Definition of sweet talk

Browse Nearby Words

flatters
flattery
flatulent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flattery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flattery. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flattery

Nglish: Translation of flattery for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All