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
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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
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Recent Examples of flattening
Many tech companies have spent recent years flattening their structure by cutting middle management at a record rate.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
By flattening hierarchies and empowering team members, leaders model the same transparent, participatory principles that underpin healthy democracies.
—Midhat Zwayen, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Results were flattening, automatic promotion hopes were fading and, in the winter window, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath was sold to Atlanta United of MLS.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Winter dressing has a way of flattening personal style.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
These hues reflect light without flattening a space, and pair well with both light and dark cabinetry.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
There is no sign of an asteroid heading to earth anything like the one that exploded over Siberia on June 30, 1908, flattening 500,00 acres.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
Death often has a kind of flattening effect on legacy.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
This promotes pelvic tuck, rolling the pelvis backward and flattening the lumbar curve, compounding the problem of poor lumbar support as well as a feeling of pain and numbness in the legs.
—New Atlas, 16 Dec. 2025
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
By flattening hierarchies and empowering team members, leaders model the same transparent, participatory principles that underpin healthy democracies.
—Midhat Zwayen, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Results were flattening, automatic promotion hopes were fading and, in the winter window, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath was sold to Atlanta United of MLS.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Winter dressing has a way of flattening personal style.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
These hues reflect light without flattening a space, and pair well with both light and dark cabinetry.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
There is no sign of an asteroid heading to earth anything like the one that exploded over Siberia on June 30, 1908, flattening 500,00 acres.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
Death often has a kind of flattening effect on legacy.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
This promotes pelvic tuck, rolling the pelvis backward and flattening the lumbar curve, compounding the problem of poor lumbar support as well as a feeling of pain and numbness in the legs.
—New Atlas, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flattening
Verb
-
Hyaluronic acid, peptides, and botanical extracts provide pore-minimizing, firming, and line-smoothing properties.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This is a great day to take note of potential friction points and start smoothing them over.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier Monday that his caucus would have a discussion on the contempt resolutions later in the week but remained noncommittal on whipping votes against them.—
Stephen Groves,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The safer one involved whipping once around the moon’s far side and then relying on lunar gravity to slingshot the spacecraft back to Earth.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Late in the mess that was the Rams’ final game of the season, Sean McVay was seen frustratingly burying his face in his play card.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Drake Powell followed by scoring six straight points himself, burying a 3 over Jaylen Brown before finishing a tough fadeaway in the lane plus the foul.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Here’s her strategy for overcoming procrastination.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
For Nayyar, overcoming user hesitancy, particularly among older generations, has been an ongoing educational process.—
Esha Chhabra,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Last June, after indirect nuclear negotiations collapsed, the United States joined Israel in a 12-day war with Iran, bombing three of the country’s key nuclear facilities.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The cross on this painting is a target, like when bombing with a drone.—
Thomas Patier,
Artforum,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Georgia continues to find some rhythm offensively, trimming the lead to 14 at the third media timeout.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
-
City officials are now considering trimming or removing trees near the fields to improve visibility and reduce glare.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The duo got together for a throwing session a couple of weeks ago to hone their chemistry on routes.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Panthers owner David Tepper, with a net worth of $20 billion, was fined only $300,000 for throwing a drink at Jaguars fans.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Liu won both the short program and free skate in upsetting three-time defending World champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and claiming the first World title by an American woman since Kimmie Meissner’s 2006 victory.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
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Coppin State’s path to a coveted berth in the NCAA Tournament will entail capturing a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament crown, not upsetting a legitimate contender for the national title.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flattening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flattening. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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