flattering

/ˈflætəɹɪŋ/

//ˈflætəɹɪŋ// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"flattering" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flattering” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,817. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,817
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Attractive or good-looking; that makes one look good.

Corpus desk

Index EN-flattering · flattering · English

flattering · rank #15,817 · 14 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,817
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH flashlight

Nearest frequency peer: flashlight (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “flattering”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “flattering” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

flattering vs fluttering
90% similar
flattering vs fattening
80% similar
flattering vs faltering
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for flattering
PropertyValue
Headwordflattering
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈflætəɹɪŋ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#15,817
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “flattering”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).flatteringlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “flashlight” (#15,816), “feeder” (#15,815), “forcibly” (#15,819). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “flattering” is #15,817. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around flattering (IPA /ˈflætəɹɪŋ/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #15,817 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for flattering, with forms such as "falttering", "fflattering", and "flatering". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "fluttering", "fattening", "faltering", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English flatering, flatrung (gerund), equivalent to flatter + -ing. The correct English form is flattering, spelled F-L-A-T-T-E-R-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Attractive or good-looking; that makes one look good.
  2. 2
    Gratifying to one's self-esteem; complimentary.
  3. 3
    That which represents too favorably.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how flattering appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The dress really did not look very flattering on her figure.

Etymology

From Middle English flatering, flatrung (gerund), equivalent to flatter + -ing.

This word in other languages

lisonjero(Español)schmeichelhaft(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • falttering
  • fflattering
  • flatering
  • flatetring
  • flatteirng
  • flatterign
  • flatteringg
  • flatterinng
  • flatternig
  • flatterring
  • flattreing
  • fllattering
  • fltatering
  • lfattering

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flattering - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

falttering2fflattering1flatering1flatetring2flatteirng2flatterign2flatteringg1flatterinng1
Edit distance from "flattering"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "flattering"?
"flattering" is spelled F-L-A-T-T-E-R-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflætəɹɪŋ/.
What does "flattering" mean?
As an adjective, "flattering" means: Attractive or good-looking; that makes one look good.
What words are commonly confused with "flattering"?
"flattering" is commonly confused with "fluttering", "fattening", "faltering". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flattering"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flattering" is /ˈflætəɹɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "flattering"?
From Middle English flatering, flatrung (gerund), equivalent to flatter + -ing. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "flattering", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

flashlight#15,816excavation#15,813estimation#15,811enthusiast#15,809

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

extremist14 variantsgraphical14 variantshorrifying14 variantsdisconnect14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list