Flatter
verb
To compliment or praise someone much or excessively, often to gain a benefit.
He would always flatter his boss to try to get a promotion.
Often appears as...
- flatter someone
- flatter yourself
verb
To make someone or something seem better or more attractive than they really are.
That dress really flatters her figure.
Often appears as...
- flatter one's figure
- light that flatter
verb
To feel satisfaction with oneself, or to have a high opinion of oneself.
Don't flatter yourself, she was just being polite, not interested in you.
Often appears as...
- flatter oneself
- flatter yourself
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To compliment or praise someone much or excessively, often to gain a benefit.
He would always flatter his boss to try to get a promotion.
Often appears as...
- flatter someone
- flatter yourself
verb
To make someone or something seem better or more attractive than they really are.
That dress really flatters her figure.
Often appears as...
- flatter one's figure
- light that flatter
verb
To feel satisfaction with oneself, or to have a high opinion of oneself.
Don't flatter yourself, she was just being polite, not interested in you.
Often appears as...
- flatter oneself
- flatter yourself
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Motive
Recognize 'flatter' can imply someone has a hidden reason for giving praise.
He seemed to flatter everyone, but only when he needed a favor.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Sincere
Be aware, sometimes 'flatter' suggests compliments are not genuine.
You're too smart to be flattered by vague compliments.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Matters
Use 'flatter' to describe a large amount of praise, not just a single compliment.
They would flatter her with poems and serenades constantly.
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Motive
Recognize 'flatter' can imply someone has a hidden reason for giving praise.
He seemed to flatter everyone, but only when he needed a favor.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Sincere
Be aware, sometimes 'flatter' suggests compliments are not genuine.
You're too smart to be flattered by vague compliments.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Matters
Use 'flatter' to describe a large amount of praise, not just a single compliment.
They would flatter her with poems and serenades constantly.
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Motive
Recognize 'flatter' can imply someone has a hidden reason for giving praise.
He seemed to flatter everyone, but only when he needed a favor.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Sincere
Be aware, sometimes 'flatter' suggests compliments are not genuine.
You're too smart to be flattered by vague compliments.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Matters
Use 'flatter' to describe a large amount of praise, not just a single compliment.
They would flatter her with poems and serenades constantly.
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Video examples
How to break bad...
Those deeply ingrained habits are deeply inconsistent with where her organization is heading. The command-and-control behavior that she was once rewarded for just isn't going to work in a faster-moving, flatter, more digitally interconnected organization. What got her here won't get her there.
Video examples
Is there a center of the...
was at the center of the universe. This radically new idea was hard for a lot of people to accept. After all, Aristotle's ideas made sense with what they could see, and they were pretty flattering to humans. But a series of subsequent discoveries made the sun-centric model hard to ignore.
Video examples
How turtle shells...
Sea turtles have flatter, lighter shells for streamlined gliding through the water. Land-dwelling tortoises, meanwhile, have domed shells that can slip free of predators’ jaws and help them turn right-side up if they fall on their backs. Leatherback and softshell turtles
Video examples
Inviting serendipity to...
not just virtual environments it's conferences like this rich seedbeds of serendipity and it's in the cities we live in here's a real interesting paradox in the world that's becoming flatter and flatter we are accelerating our movement into large urban
Video examples
Can you outsmart the...
and will pose an increasing threat to humanity in the future. Well, well. That’s unusually prescient for a human. Looking for a wedding dress? Try a new take on a timeless classic. It’s sleek, flattering and modest— just like the traditional dress.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 146 PIPE...
flatter than the proverbial pancake in other words they are very enthusiastically performing the way that Lions do best but nevertheless we shall assist them and perhaps we shall even be able to give them some kind of characterization
Video examples
How to speak up for...
is by asking other people for advice. When we ask others for advice, they like us because we flatter them, and we're expressing humility. And this really works to solve another double bind. And that's the self-promotion double bind.
Video examples
Yuval Noah Harari...
the power of it so i think they respect that but perhaps the unflattering explanation is that almost that you're letting them off the hook because you go with you know this is almost inevitable and our
Video examples
The psychology of...
The difficulty is it can be challenging for people with narcissistic personality disorder to keep working at self-betterment. For a narcissist, self-reflection is hard from an unflattering angle.
Video examples
Where's Google going...
we've got to make sure that we don't seem like we're a couple of middle-aged boring men. I said, I'm flattered by that -- because I'm a bit older,
Video examples
How to break bad...
Those deeply ingrained habits are deeply inconsistent with where her organization is heading. The command-and-control behavior that she was once rewarded for just isn't going to work in a faster-moving, flatter, more digitally interconnected organization. What got her here won't get her there.
Video examples
Is there a center of the...
was at the center of the universe. This radically new idea was hard for a lot of people to accept. After all, Aristotle's ideas made sense with what they could see, and they were pretty flattering to humans. But a series of subsequent discoveries made the sun-centric model hard to ignore.
Video examples
How turtle shells...
Sea turtles have flatter, lighter shells for streamlined gliding through the water. Land-dwelling tortoises, meanwhile, have domed shells that can slip free of predators’ jaws and help them turn right-side up if they fall on their backs. Leatherback and softshell turtles
Video examples
Inviting serendipity to...
not just virtual environments it's conferences like this rich seedbeds of serendipity and it's in the cities we live in here's a real interesting paradox in the world that's becoming flatter and flatter we are accelerating our movement into large urban
Video examples
Can you outsmart the...
and will pose an increasing threat to humanity in the future. Well, well. That’s unusually prescient for a human. Looking for a wedding dress? Try a new take on a timeless classic. It’s sleek, flattering and modest— just like the traditional dress.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 146 PIPE...
flatter than the proverbial pancake in other words they are very enthusiastically performing the way that Lions do best but nevertheless we shall assist them and perhaps we shall even be able to give them some kind of characterization
Video examples
How to speak up for...
is by asking other people for advice. When we ask others for advice, they like us because we flatter them, and we're expressing humility. And this really works to solve another double bind. And that's the self-promotion double bind.
Video examples
Yuval Noah Harari...
the power of it so i think they respect that but perhaps the unflattering explanation is that almost that you're letting them off the hook because you go with you know this is almost inevitable and our
Video examples
The psychology of...
The difficulty is it can be challenging for people with narcissistic personality disorder to keep working at self-betterment. For a narcissist, self-reflection is hard from an unflattering angle.
Video examples
Where's Google going...
we've got to make sure that we don't seem like we're a couple of middle-aged boring men. I said, I'm flattered by that -- because I'm a bit older,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
William Arthur Ward
American Writer
Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.
Quote examples
Joel Osteen
American Clergyman
It's flattering to people who stop you and say that you've helped them and all. But, again, you know, you've got to stay humble because as quick as you came up, you can come down.
Quote examples
Toni Morrison
American Novelist
The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are deeply, deeply insulting. That reviewer took no time to really read the book.
Quote examples
Marilyn Monroe
American Actress
Naturally, there are times when every woman likes to be flattered... to feel she is the most important thing in someone's world. Only a man can paint this picture.
Quote examples
Jhumpa Lahiri
American Author
My responsibility isn't to paint a flattering portrait; my responsibility is to paint a real portrait, a true portrait.
Quote examples
Charlotte Bronte
British Novelist
I don't call you handsome, sir, though I love you most dearly: far too dearly to flatter you. Don't flatter me.
Quote examples
David Bowie
English Musician
I guess it's flattering that everyone believed I was those characters, but it also is dehumanizing.
Quote examples
Tony Dungy
American Coach
I guess I'm flattered that people think I can help get things done.
Quote examples
Radhika Pandit
Indian Actress
It's very flattering to be praised for each of your efforts.
Quote examples
Wendell Phillips
American Activist
Many know how to flatter, few know how to praise.
Quote examples
William Arthur Ward
American Writer
Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.
Quote examples
Joel Osteen
American Clergyman
It's flattering to people who stop you and say that you've helped them and all. But, again, you know, you've got to stay humble because as quick as you came up, you can come down.
Quote examples
Toni Morrison
American Novelist
The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are deeply, deeply insulting. That reviewer took no time to really read the book.
Quote examples
Marilyn Monroe
American Actress
Naturally, there are times when every woman likes to be flattered... to feel she is the most important thing in someone's world. Only a man can paint this picture.
Quote examples
Jhumpa Lahiri
American Author
My responsibility isn't to paint a flattering portrait; my responsibility is to paint a real portrait, a true portrait.
Quote examples
Charlotte Bronte
British Novelist
I don't call you handsome, sir, though I love you most dearly: far too dearly to flatter you. Don't flatter me.
Quote examples
David Bowie
English Musician
I guess it's flattering that everyone believed I was those characters, but it also is dehumanizing.
Quote examples
Tony Dungy
American Coach
I guess I'm flattered that people think I can help get things done.
Quote examples
Radhika Pandit
Indian Actress
It's very flattering to be praised for each of your efforts.
Quote examples
Wendell Phillips
American Activist
Many know how to flatter, few know how to praise.
Example 1 of 10
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