FLATTER

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does flatter mean? 

• FLATTER (verb)
  The verb FLATTER has 1 sense:

1. praise somewhat dishonestly

  Familiarity information: FLATTER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FLATTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they flatter    ... he / she / it flatters   
Past simple: flattered   
Past participle: flattered   
-ing form: flattering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Praise somewhat dishonestly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

blandish; flatter

Hypernyms (to "flatter" is one way to...):

praise (express approval of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "flatter"):

soft-soap (use flattering talk on somebody)

adulate (flatter in an obsequious manner)

stroke (treat gingerly or carefully)

bootlick; fawn; kotow; kowtow; suck up; toady; truckle (try to gain favor by cringing or flattering)

brown-nose; butter up (flatter with the intention of getting something)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot flatter Sue

Antonym:

disparage (express a negative opinion of)

Derivation:

flatterer (a person who uses flattery)

flattery (excessive or insincere praise)

 Context examples 

Very much grieved and concerned—I had flattered myself that she must be better after such a cordial as I knew had been given her in the morning.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I am flattered, and made proud, and all that—I could not be a true woman were it otherwise—that you should write these poems to me.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

And then, as Morgan rolled back to his seat, Silver added to me in a confidential whisper that was very flattering, as I thought, He's quite an honest man, Tom Morgan, on'y stupid.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Sir Walter, indeed, though he had no affection for Anne, and no vanity flattered, to make him really happy on the occasion, was very far from thinking it a bad match for her.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

For three days I did my own work and Thomas Mugridge’s too; and I flatter myself that I did his work well.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

With Venus in your sign, you might want to buy new clothes in December—you will find them to be madly flattering—and to find ways to refresh your appearance.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

But I don't mean to flatter you: if you are cast in a different mould to the majority, it is no merit of yours: Nature did it.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

A flatter shape, the researchers noted, would reduce pressure from the wind, just as it would for a person lying on the ground versus standing up.

(Bees Help Researchers Confirm Theory about Maintaining Protective Clumps under Tough Conditions, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

I felt extremely flattered by this arrangement, and we commenced carrying it into execution that very evening.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Now, Laurie flattered himself that he had borne it remarkably well, making no moan, asking no sympathy, and taking his trouble away to live it down alone.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)