🫓 To make flat 💻 To make simple 🎵 To lower pitch

to flatten

23 2.6

Make something flat and smooth by pressing it

verb
/ˈflætən/

: aplanar

Slowly, the layers beneath him flatten, and even though he is clearly sinking, sinking, sinking, he feels lighter.
flatten the vehicle

I do think we did flatten the curve and save lives.

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Examples

The hills over the town flatten and grow larger with the dark.

Fiction book (2000)
Marie snipped a bit of dough from the bowl, trying to flatten it between her fingers.

Fiction book (1998)
And then I just press just to flatten my hair.
If I wanted to flatten this, what could I do?
And then you flatten those, you know, first two or three courses there like this.
So this part right here will kind of allow it to flatten as I comb through.
We so we flatten the clay and we're going to cut out a sheep.
Waves crack, then flatten onshore, releasing a sour smell that quickly fills the car.

Fiction book (1997)
To make the pizza crust even, you need to flatten the dough with a rolling pin.
When you cook a hamburger, it helps to flatten the patty for even cooking.

Synonyms

to straighten

vsto flatten

114 2.5

Make something straight and in the right position

is about pressing or leveling surfaces to achieve flatness

to compress

vsto flatten

94 3.7

To press something so it takes less space

focuses on creating a flat, level surface rather than compacting volume

to level

vsto flatten

81 3.7

To make land or a building flat with the ground

focuses on pressing to produce a smooth finished surface

to squash

vsto flatten

55 2.0

To press something hard so it becomes flat and loses its shape

is the neutral action of making something flat without intentional damage

to unfold

vsto flatten

39 1.3

Open something that is folded so it becomes flat

is the wider pressing or leveling action beyond unfolding

to even

vsto flatten

22 2.5

To make something level or smooth

is the broader pressing action to create a flat smooth surface

to press down

vsto flatten

18 2.5

To push something down with force to make it flat or close it

is the general idea of causing flatness without specifying force direction

to even out

vsto flatten

18 3.4

To make a surface, amount, or relationship level by removing differences

is the direct act of pressing or making something flat

to straighten out

vsto flatten

11 2.9

To make something free of bends, twists, or knots

focuses specifically on creating a flat level surface rather than straightness

to roll out

vsto flatten

8 3.4

To make something flat by unrolling it or using a roller

is the general flattening action not tied to rolling methods

to flatten out

vsto flatten

5 3.4

To become flat and smooth after being uneven

is the general act of making something flat or level

to smush

vsto flatten

4 7.5

To squash something so it becomes flat or changes shape

is the neutral, possibly formal action to make a surface flat

to smoosh

vsto flatten

Informal

4 7.9

To press something so it becomes flat or misshapen

describes flattening in general without the informal tone or messiness

to flush

vsto flatten

3 6.1

To make one surface level with another

covers flattening more broadly, not only edge-to-edge alignment

to grind down

vsto flatten

2 6.1

Wear a surface away slowly by rubbing, or make someone very tired

is the immediate act of making flat by pressing or leveling

to smooth down

vsto flatten

1 3.8

To make something less rough by pressing it flat or by calming people

is the physical pressing action to make surfaces flat

to plane

vsto flatten

1 7.5

To make a surface smooth by shaving thin layers of wood

achieves flatness generally, not only by shaving or cutting

to level the ground

vsto flatten

3.6

To make the ground flat for building or planting

covers flattening generally, not only ground preparation

to steamroll

vsto flatten

4.9

Make a surface flat using a heavy roller machine

is the general action of pressing or making level

to steamroller

vsto flatten

5.2

To flatten a surface by passing a heavy roller over it

describes flattening in general without specifying heavy machinery

to smoothen

vsto flatten

4.3

To make a surface flat and even by rubbing or polishing

involves pressing or leveling to create a flat result

to uncrumple

vsto flatten

4.4

To make paper or cloth smooth again after it becomes wrinkled

is the general flattening act not limited to unfolded items

to tabulate

vsto flatten

Specialized

7.4

Make a thing have one or more flat sides

is the broader act of making something flat without technical shaping

Antonyms

to inflate

44 2.9

To fill something with air so it becomes larger and round

raise

4 2.9

An act of lifting something to a higher position

Phrasal Verbs

to flatten out

5 3.4

To become flat and smooth after being uneven

How Flat

to flatten

23 2.6

to iron out

1 3.1

to compress

94 3.7

Surface Forms

flatten infinitive

flattened past

flattened past participle

flattening present participle

flattens third person singular

Morphology

flatten = flat (transparent) = flat + en

A standard verb formed from the adjective 'flat' with the productive suffix '-en' meaning 'make X flat'; the meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Flatten comes from the simple word flat, which means 'level' or 'even', plus the verb ending -en that means 'make'. So, to flatten something is to 'make' it 'level', like pressing dough or smoothing a road.