flattering

[ flat-er-ing ]
See synonyms for: flatteringflatterings on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. pleasing or gratifying someone by attention or compliments: The publisher sent me a very flattering invitation to write a study of Robert Browning.

  2. 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 tocurry 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.

Origin of flattering

1
First recorded in 1200–50; flatter1 + -ing2 for the adjective senses; flatter1 + -ing1 for the noun sense

Other words from flattering

  • 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

Words Nearby flattering

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use flattering in a sentence