flattering

[ flat-er-ing ]

adjective

1. enhancing the appearance of a person or thing, as by highlighting pleasing features or making less pleasing ones inconspicuous:

   You'll receive expert advice on the most flattering shades of makeup for your complexion.

2. causing a person or thing to seem better or more attractive than is really the case:

   She avoids the weakness of many memoirs by not creating an overly flattering picture of herself or her parents.

3. pleasing or gratifying someone by attention or compliments:

   The publisher sent me a very flattering invitation to write a study of Robert Browning.

4. praising or complimenting someone insincerely or excessively, especially in an attempt to curry favor:

   I’m a remarkably accurate judge of people’s character, and am not misled by flattering words or nice clothes.

noun

1. the act of attempting to curry favor by praising or complimenting someone insincerely or excessively:

   After a glass of cognac and much flattering and coaxing, he did finally grant our request.

Other Words From

• flat·ter·ing·ly adverb
• half-flat·ter·ing adjective
• half-flat·ter·ing·ly adverb
• un·flat·ter·ing adjective
• un·flat·ter·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of flattering¹

First recorded in 1200–50; flatter ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; flatter ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

The popular conception of gulls is not the most flattering.

From Salon

Even the great South African second row Eben Etzebeth said the 17-point gap between his side and Scotland on Sunday was flattering.

From BBC

Kimmel says the biography is “not a particularly flattering portrayal of Johnny, but it’s a fair one. And I think that’s probably good because we tend to turn people into caricatures. We think that person that you see on TV is that person. We all felt like we knew Johnny Carson, but we obviously didn’t.”

From Los Angeles Times

That attitude is still carried today by politicians like Bill Clinton, who described middle-class Americans as people who "work hard and play by the rules," and Harris, who bestowed them with a flattering honorific: "the engine of America's prosperity."

From Salon

“It’s flattering,” she told the outlet.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• complimentary