flattered; flattering; flatters
1
: to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest
He flattered her with comments about how well she'd done.
2
archaic
: beguile sense 2
3
a
: to encourage or gratify by showing respect or admiration
They flattered me by asking me to speak.
b
: to congratulate (oneself) with respect to something
I flatter myself that my interpretation is correct.
4
a
: to portray too favorably
The portrait flatters him.
b
: to display to advantage
Candlelight often flatters the face.
: to use flattery
Examples of flatter in a Sentence
Verb
He flattered her with comments about her youthful appearance.
It flattered her to be asked to sing at their wedding.
That dress really flatters your figure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
This black pick from Cole Haan is flattering and adds instant polish to any outfit, in part thanks to brass hardware that ups the ante right off the bat.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Editorial, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Boles noted that recent series schedules have trended toward shorter, flatter ovals such as The Milwaukee Mile, Phoenix Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway.
—John Sturbin, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatter
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.
Verb
This needn’t been a timid admission;—she’d be flattered to hear it.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
This black pick from Cole Haan is flattering and adds instant polish to any outfit, in part thanks to brass hardware that ups the ante right off the bat.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
And in some cases, CEOs have less authority, as flatter organizations emphasize collaboration over top-down decision-making.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Boles noted that recent series schedules have trended toward shorter, flatter ovals such as The Milwaukee Mile, Phoenix Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway.
—John Sturbin, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flatter
Cite this Entry
“Flatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
