How to Use flat-out in a Sentence

flat-out

1 of 2 adjective
  • Some of his cooking, like the pil-pil and the fluke in olive oil, is flat-out Iberian.
    Pete Wells, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
  • The roller coaster before all of this makes the whole of it flat-out remarkable out of the gates.
    Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2023
  • The church flat-out lied to their faithful parishioners for nearly two years.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2024
  • Anyone who says newsboy caps are the same as flat caps is flat-out lying.
    Maverick Li, Men's Health, 14 July 2023
  • The Vision Pro launches on February 2nd, and there are sure to be some good, bad, and flat-out weird apps in the weeks and months to come.
    Jay Peters, The Verge, 18 Jan. 2024
  • Lynch is flat-out one of the most powerful CEOs in the world, regardless of gender.
    Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 June 2023
  • This notion that somebody goes out there and doesn’t have to answer to anybody’s a flat-out lie.
    Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Aug. 2024
  • Yamaha The red and white, on the other hand, is a flat-out crime against motorcycling.
    New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2024
  • The first two are flat-out icons, while Moroney is one of the most talented and promising new talents to be found in any genre.
    Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024
  • America had proven dreams weren’t for us; Jim Crow would see to it they were crushed along with your spirit, if not flat-out killed.
    A.w. Davis, Harper's BAZAAR, 16 June 2023
  • But what happens if this world-class assistant gives the wrong advice or, even worse, flat-out lies?
    Anand Shah, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
  • Some work for the media, and others are just flat-out yahoos with a cellphone connection and a full tank of gas.
    Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 21 July 2024
  • Mann seems to have put serious time behind the wheel himself because the racing is flat-out thrilling.
    Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023
  • Not kind of a choker, or choker adjacent, but a flat-out choker.
    Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
  • The Trailmate Journey has loads of accessories that range from useful to flat-out brilliant.
    Sarah Kester, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2023
  • It’s been a process of trial and error, with early treatments flat-out not working or even causing seizures.
    Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 12 May 2023
  • The staff at Australian flag carrier Qantas must have been flat-out like a lizard drinking sorting that mess out.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 31 Aug. 2024
  • The decision has annoyed fans of the show (and of the doughy treats), with social media awash in comments ranging from annoyed to flat-out angry.
    Erika Tulfo, CNN, 23 June 2024
  • And the percentage of Republicans who say Trump usually makes flat-out false claims dipped down to 8% from 14%.
    James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
  • Built in 1908, the Neoclassical home is flat-out gorgeous, thanks to a stunning double front porch lined with columns.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Yet some are flat-out denying that these atrocities occurred.
    Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 21 Nov. 2023
  • Thornhill says Sheridan's claims that officials addressed the major backlog of lab tests and X-rays is flat-out wrong.
    Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 1 Sep. 2024
  • In the previous three seasons this notion has been presented in the media and pushed by alumni and flat-out screamed from the empty bleachers at the Rose Bowl.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023
  • The Danny works great in calm water, and is flat-out awesome when retrieved through the whitewater left behind by crashing waves.
    Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
  • In each episode, a celebrity panel will try to identify the real married couple from the ones who are flat-out lying – and, in fact, have just met for the very first time on that same day.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
  • Debates are notorious as a place for candidates to misrepresent, spin, and flat-out lie to cast their record and their plans in the best light.
    Vox Staff, Vox, 27 June 2024
  • As the major carriers are making less money, many of the upstarts are flat-out losing money.
    Chris Isidore, CNN, 3 July 2024
  • Sport mode brings an even more aggressive algorithm and a flat-out refusal to upshift into the tallest gears even when cruising.
    Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 7 Aug. 2023
  • These squads know each other well; there will not be any secrets or surprises, just a flat-out border war that will be won by the team with more offensive weapons.
    J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023
  • The delivery is a bit nasal, sometimes high-pitched, and even, without meaning to perhaps, flat-out comical.
    Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 22 June 2024
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flat out

2 of 2 adverb
  • We asked for more time but they refused us flat out.
  • I told him flat out that I have no intention of marrying him.
  • The car does 180 mph flat out.
  • So how did a team that played so well at home fall flat out on the road?
    Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Mar. 2018
  • Those calling him for him to be fired are flat out wrong.
    Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2019
  • Swalwell just flat out failed to gain traction in the race.
    Doug Criss, CNN, 9 July 2019
  • Age 45 is the age of 'perimenopause', not flat out menopause.
    Karla Adam, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
  • In our half-mask tests, the iPhone flat out refused to unlock for us.
    Michelle Maltais, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2020
  • Lee was sleepy, uninspired and flat out boring to watch.
    Womansday.com Editors, Woman's Day, 26 May 2010
  • There were three plays in the first period on which the Kings just flat out took the puck from the Blackhawks, who did come alive the rest of the game.
    Curtis Zupke, latimes.com, 20 Feb. 2018
  • Trump flat out lied to get credit for what his father owned.
    Luke Darby, GQ, 21 Apr. 2018
  • Not many people have heard of Schwalbach, but this kid can flat out play.
    Chris Hays, orlandosentinel.com, 16 Oct. 2020
  • Some are just flat out funny, with nothing more on their minds than the spritz of escapism.
    Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 June 2020
  • On Wall Street, Facebook faced the music and Tesla flat out bombed.
    Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, 25 July 2019
  • Mayfield and the offense looked flat out bad in the 38-6 drubbing by the Baltimore Ravens.
    Mike Jones, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
  • Yo Simone, this flat out the Mount Everest of challenges.
    Claudia Harmata, PEOPLE.com, 13 Apr. 2020
  • The European bourses were flat out of the gates, but perked up throughout the morning.
    Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 17 June 2020
  • Noonan looked back toward the yard, then down at the rumpled patch of grass where Judge had been flat out on his back.
    Colin Barrett, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2021
  • Since January, the sales team has just been going flat out.
    Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 12 Apr. 2018
  • Murphy has long arms, is agile and is just a flat out ball player.
    Chris Kirschner, ajc, 13 Nov. 2017
  • The worst cover done by an actual artist on the soundtrack; this one flat out doesn’t work.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 6 July 2022
  • Nothing in the room but a glass night lamp on a table and, set flat out under the windows like a cheap placemat, the bed.
    Gail Sheehy, Daily Intelligencer, 9 Sep. 2017
  • Stevenson has rare movement skills for a 246-pound back and can flat out make people miss.
    Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 29 Apr. 2021
  • Positions are won out there; some guys attack it and do a great job and some guys just flat out fold.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
  • Trump is saying, flat out, that Democrats are opposed to the military.
    Chris Cillizza, CNN, 23 Mar. 2018
  • Rolen hit with consistent power and could flat out play the hot corner.
    USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2023
  • Maxey can flat out score, has played with Tyler Herro at Kentucky, and would have fit so well into the team on both ends of the floor.
    Ira Winderman, sun-sentinel.com, 19 Nov. 2020
  • Just a flat out entertaining read, and a book worth spending time with.
    John Warner, chicagotribune.com, 25 Dec. 2021
  • The Pioneer won’t beat a RZR in flat out speed, but there’s no bigger thrill than hitting 60 on a wide-open dirt road.
    Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, 9 Jan. 2018
  • Babies are constantly lifting the bib up, tugging it off, and just flat out dipping their sleeves in their food.
    Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flat-out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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