to make something flat or flatter, to knock someone down, to make something less extreme or less strong

flatten out, flatten the curve, flatten someone/something out

Formal and Informal Expressions of flatten

In different contexts, you can replace 'flatten' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'level, compress' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'smoosh, squish' is a commonplace synonym.

flatten: Explore its Definition & Usage

flatten Definition

1to make something flat or flatter
2to knock someone down
3to make something less extreme or less strong

Using flatten: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "flatten" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
I need to flatten this dough before baking.
Example
The boxer was flattened by his opponent's punch.
Example
The curve in the graph was flattened by the new data.
Example
The company is trying to flatten the hierarchy and empower employees.
Example
The hurricane flattened the entire town.

flatten Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for flatten

Antonyms for flatten

Phrases with flatten

flatten out
to become flat or flatter
Example
The road flattened out after the steep hill.
flatten the curve
to slow the spread of a contagious disease so that the number of cases does not exceed the capacity of the healthcare system
Example
Social distancing measures were implemented to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections.
flatten someone/something out
to defeat or overcome someone or something
Example
The team managed to flatten out their opponents in the second half of the game.

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Summary: flatten in Brief

To 'flatten' [ˈflætn] means to make something flat, knock someone down, or make something less extreme. It can refer to physical actions like flattening dough or metaphorical ones like flattening a hierarchy. The phrase 'flatten the curve' refers to slowing the spread of a contagious disease. 'Flatten' has synonyms like 'level' and 'compress,' and informal terms like 'smoosh' and 'squish.'