flatten

verb

flat·​ten ˈfla-tᵊn 

flattened; flattening ˈflat-niŋ 

ˈfla-tə-

transitive verb

: to make flat: such as

a

: to make level or smooth

b

: to knock down

also : to defeat decisively

c

: to make dull or uninspired

—often used with out

d

: to make lusterless

flatten paint

e

: to stabilize especially at a lower level

intransitive verb

: to become flat or flatter: such as

a

: to become dull or spiritless

b

: to extend in or into a flat position or form

c

: to become uniform or stabilized often at a new lower level

—usually used with out

flattener

ˈflat-nər 

ˈfla-tə-

noun

Synonyms

• even
• level
• plane
• smooth
• smoothen

Examples of flatten in a Sentence

Dozens of houses were flattened by the tornado.

The boxer was flattened in the seventh round.

The team got flattened in the first round of the play-offs.

Prices are expected to flatten after the holiday shopping season.

Recent Examples on the Web

His community, Qaboun, was an anti-government center and many of its buildings were flattened under Assad’s administration. —Sally Abou Aljoud, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024

Scoop cookies: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets (do not flatten). —Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024

My biggest complaint is that the tank and the tee did flatten my chest a bit, and a bra would definitely show through the material. —Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 13 Dec. 2024

In this environment, the Road Runner, having outwitted Wile E. Coyote's traps in all those cartoons, would wind up flattened against the tar. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

flatten

verb

flat·​ten ˈflat-ᵊn 

flattened; flattening ˈflat-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become flat