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.
Climate scientists warned us for years Mainstream media is finally reporting that the L.A. fires, like the catastrophic wildfires that flattened Maui last year, are the largely product of climate change. Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025 How does Knoblauch increase the deployment of a line that flattens opponents, effectively turning five-on-five time into an Edmonton power play? Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025 Before next week’s winds pick up, there will be a few days of a welcome break from severe fire weather after devastating fires that flattened large areas in and around Altadena and Pacific Palisades, destroying thousands of structures including many homes. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Dozens of blocks of scenic Pacific Palisades were flattened to smoldering rubble. Marc Sternfield, The Hill, 10 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 27 Jan. 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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