flat-out

[ flat-out ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. moving or working at top speed or with maximum effort; all-out:

   a flat-out effort by all contestants.

2. downright; thoroughgoing:

   Many of the paintings were flat-out forgeries.

Word History and Origins

Origin of flat-out¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The one moment that most struck me, especially as a gay man watching, was the brief scene when he realizes one of his lawyers is gay and Aaron flat-out asks him who’d molested him as a child.

From Los Angeles Times

“They flat-out said, ‘No, thanks.

From Slate

Much of Trump’s case against immigrants is just flat-out racism and xenophobia—there’s no other explanation for assertions like Stephen Miller’s chant of “America is for Americans and Americans only.”

From Slate

Gary Moran from Umi restaurant in the city centre has said they have been “flat-out with bookings” throughout the Halloween festival this week.

From BBC

He previously called the allegations in the first lawsuit “flat-out lies, made-up events that never happened, exaggerated and fabricated statements, and worse.”

From Los Angeles Times