flatter
flat·ter/ˈflætɚ/verb, noun, adjective
flatter is spelled F-L-A-T-T-E-R: 7 letters and 2 syllables (flat·ter). It appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 20,356th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, flatter means “To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in flatter?
| Letters | 7: F-L-A-T-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: flat·ter |
| In writing | 1.9 times per million words; the 20,356th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is flatter?
Flatter appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 20,356th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce flatter?
- US /ˈflætɚ/
- US [ˈflæɾɚ]
- UK /ˈflætə/
Flatter has 2 syllables, split flat·ter in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-flatter.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with flatter?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as flatter from its last stressed vowel (/ætəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of flatter
- flatters present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- flattering participle, present
- flattered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does flatter mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.
- 2
To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.
- 3
To portray someone to advantage.
Her portrait flatters her.
- 4
To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope.
- 5
To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.
Before the results came out, I flattered myself that I had done well on the test. It turned out I was the worst in the class!
- 6
obsoleteIn phrasal verb "to flatter with": to encourage, inspire with hope.
noun
- 1
A type of set tool used by blacksmiths.
- 2
A flat-faced fulling hammer.
- 3
A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch springs.
- 4
Someone who flattens, purposely or accidentally. Also flattener.
- 5
UKslangSomeone who lives in a rented flat.
adjective
- 1
comparative form of flat: more flat
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Flatter in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | flatter |
| German | schmeicheln , anbiedern, einschmeicheln |
| Portuguese | adular, bajular |
| Spanish | halagar, falagar, requebrar , lisonjear, incensar, franelear |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.