Flattening — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈfla-tᵊn/ flat·ten

Meaning & Definition of Flattening

Flattening (verb)

  1. to make flat
  2. to make level or smooth
  3. to knock down; also, to defeat decisively

Flattening (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps

    "flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern"

    similar: evening, leveling, planing, smoothening, smoothing
    related: clipping, cropping, paring, pruning, shaving, trimming, laying, pressing, spreading, carding, combing, raking, surfacing
    opposite: roughening, roughing
    near: coarsening, rumpling, wrinkling, bending, kinking, denting, pitting

  2. to defeat by a large margin

    "if you don't understand the rules, you're going to get flattened when you try to play"

    similar: annihilating, blowing away, bombing, burying, clobbering, creaming, drubbing, dusting, pasting, routing, shellacking, skinning, skunking, smoking (slang), smothering, snowing under, thrashing, trimming, tromping, trouncing, walloping, waxing (slang), whipping, whomping, whopping, whupping, beating the pants off, eating alive, running circles around, wiping the floor with
    related: sweeping, upsetting, beating, besting, conquering, dispatching, hurdling, licking, mastering, overbearing, overcoming, overmatching, prevailing (over), subduing, surmounting, taking, throwing, triumphing (over), winning (against), worsting, crushing, knocking off, knocking over, overpowering, overthrowing, overwhelming, subjugating, upending, vanquishing, acing (out), bettering, eclipsing, exceeding, outdistancing, outdoing, outfighting, outshining, outstripping, overtopping, surpassing, topping, transcending, edging (out), nosing out, pipping (British), capping, excelling, flourishing, scoring, succeeding, breaking, destroying, doing in, finishing, sinking, slaughtering

Related Entry: Flatten (verb)

Flatten is a different word from Flattening. The synonyms below are for flatten, not for flattening.

  1. to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps

    "flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern"

    similar: even, level, plane, smooth, smoothen
    related: clip, crop, pare, prune, shave, trim, lay, press, spread, card, comb, rake, surface
    opposite: rough, roughen
    near: coarsen, rumple, wrinkle, bend, kink, dent, pit

  2. to defeat by a large margin

    "if you don't understand the rules, you're going to get flattened when you try to play"

    similar: annihilate, blow away, bomb, bury, clobber, cream, drub, dust, paste, rout, shellac, skin, skunk, smoke (slang), smother, snow under, thrash, trim, tromp, trounce, wallop, wax (slang), whip, whomp, whop, whup, beat the pants off, eat alive, run circles around, wipe the floor with
    related: sweep, upset, beat, best, conquer, dispatch, hurdle, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), subdue, surmount, take, throw, triumph (over), win (against), worst, crush, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, subjugate, upend, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, break, destroy, do in, finish, sink, slaughter

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Flattening

The most common words with a similar meaning to Flattening:

Slang: smoking, waxing
evening, leveling, planing, smoothening, smoothing, annihilating, blowing away, bombing, burying, clobbering, creaming, drubbing, dusting, pasting, routing, shellacking, skinning, skunking, smothering, snowing under, thrashing, trimming, tromping, trouncing, walloping, whipping, whomping, whopping, whupping, beating the pants off, eating alive, running circles around, wiping the floor with

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Flattening

Words with the opposite meaning of Flattening:

roughening, roughing

Related Words for Flattening

clipping, cropping, paring, pruning, shaving, laying, pressing, spreading, carding, combing, raking, surfacing, sweeping, upsetting, beating, besting, conquering, dispatching, hurdling, licking, mastering, overbearing, overcoming, overmatching, prevailing (over), subduing, surmounting, taking, throwing, triumphing (over)

Near Antonyms of Flattening

coarsening, rumpling, wrinkling, bending, kinking, denting, pitting

Word Forms of Flattening

Inflections: flattened

Derived words: flattener (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Flattening

First known use: 1630t

Frequently Asked Questions about Flattening

What does "Flattening" mean?

"Flattening" means to make flat. As a verb, it is defined as: to make flat. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Flattening"?

Other words for "Flattening" include evening, leveling, planing, smoothening, smoothing, annihilating, blowing away and bombing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Flattening" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Flattening"?

There are 103 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Flattening". Common alternatives include evening, leveling, planing, smoothening, smoothing, annihilating, blowing away, bombing, burying and clobbering.

What is the opposite of "Flattening"?

Antonyms of "Flattening" include roughening and roughing. Near antonyms include coarsening, rumpling, wrinkling and bending.

How do you use "Flattening" in a sentence?

Examples of "Flattening" in a sentence: "flattened out the wrinkled paper before attempting to trace the pattern"; "if you don't understand the rules, you're going to get flattened when you try to play".

Is "Flattening" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Flattening" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Flattening"?

"Flattening" is pronounced /ˈfla-tᵊn/ and divided into syllables as flat·ten.

What is the origin of the word "Flattening"?

First known use: 1630t.