flatten

verb

flat·​ten ˈfla-tᵊn How to pronounce flatten (audio)
flattened; flattening ˈflat-niŋ How to pronounce flatten (audio)
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 How to pronounce flatten (audio)
ˈfla-tə-
noun

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
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.
The Eaton fire was fueled by intense winds that pushed flames from Eaton Canyon west into neighborhoods across Altadena, flattening larger swaths of the community. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025 Our beautifully detailed heroes — our Double Dragons, our fraternal Contras — were flattened and minimized to a handful of pixels. Yussef Cole, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Tinkerbell, who is seen as somewhat of a weakling in the Shrek films, is flattened against a lantern in the land which is also home to props previously only seen digitally on screen. Caroline Reid, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 Pacific Palisades looks like someone dropped a nuclear weapon on top of it and just flattened everything. Larry Fink, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for flatten 

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of flatten was in 1630

Dictionary Entries Near flatten

Cite this Entry

“Flatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatten. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

flatten

verb
flat·​ten ˈflat-ᵊn How to pronounce flatten (audio)
flattened; flattening ˈflat-niŋ How to pronounce flatten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become flat

More from Merriam-Webster on flatten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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