flatten

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "flatten" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to describe compressing something flat or making something level. Example sentence: He used a rolling pin to flatten out the dough.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Big kids can flatten smaller ones in a tackle.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

3 Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and, using your hands, roll each piece into a small ball, then flatten into 7-8cm circles.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A bubble forms, you flatten it, but it only pops up somewhere else.

The Guardian

Put the butter onto a board, and flatten into a rectangle 2cm thick (roughly 20cm long by 15cm wide).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The world is spherical, a map is flat, and there is no obvious way to get around this. Try to flatten out, for example, the hollow peel of an orange and two things become quickly apparent: 1) there are an infinite number of ways to do that, and 2) none is particularly satisfactory, let alone a neat rectangle.

The Guardian

Related: Settling a score: movie soundtracks that should be removed Synthesised sounds are cheaper than live musicians, but he said: "Electronic instruments flatten everything.

The Guardian - Music

When Osborne himself faces the same Commons committee tomorrow he will be challenged more fiercely about the speed and scale of the cuts which Keynesian economists and some still-cloudy data suggest may flatten Britain's economic recovery.

The Guardian - Opinion

What he should have been saying to the Israeli government is that it is unnecessary for you to kill innocent civilians, to displace a quarter of the Gazan population, for you to flatten schools, hospitals and power supplies and water supplies to achieve your end.

The Guardian

Finn is 6ft 7in tall and can bowl at 90mph but now he appears to be an athlete drained of all joy and certainty, providing more evidence that not only does the wheel crush the butterfly, it can also flatten beneath its year-round rolling juggernaut the likeable north London beanpole pace bowler.

The Guardian - Sport

Flatten the cookie again and place on the baking tray.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

His muted shots, which have been published in photography books alongside Thoreau's writings, seem to flatten out the landscape without reducing its meditative complexity.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "flatten" in a figurative sense, ensure the context clearly indicates the intended meaning, such as "flatten the learning curve" or "flatten bureaucratic hierarchies".

Common error

Avoid using "flatten" as a catch-all term for simplifying complex data structures or processes; more specific terms like "normalize", "aggregate", or "consolidate" often provide greater clarity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "flatten" is as a verb, used to describe the act of making something flat or level. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in both literal and figurative contexts, such as "flatten the dough" or "flatten the competition". According to Ludwig AI, the word "flatten" is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Lifestyle

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "flatten" functions primarily as a verb and is widely used in both literal and figurative senses. It is generally accepted as grammatically correct, as supported by Ludwig AI, and frequently appears in News & Media, Lifestyle, and Formal & Business contexts. When writing, consider the specific context to ensure "flatten" accurately conveys your intended meaning; if in doubt, explore alternatives like "level out" or "streamline". Remember, using "flatten" in overly technical contexts may lack precision compared to more specialized terms. The word "flatten" is a versatile and common term in the English language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

level out

Emphasizes achieving a consistent level or state, often after fluctuations.

even out

Suggests making something uniform or balanced.

compress

Focuses on reducing something in size or volume by applying pressure.

smooth out

Implies removing irregularities or roughness from a surface or situation.

reduce

Focuses on making something smaller in size, amount, or degree.

suppress

Highlights the act of subduing or diminishing something, like dissent or an emotion.

eliminate

Indicates the complete removal or eradication of something.

knock down

Focuses on forcefully causing something to fall to the ground.

demolish

Emphasizes the complete destruction of a structure or system.

streamline

Implies making something more efficient or simple by removing unnecessary elements.

FAQs

How can I use "flatten" in a sentence?

You can use "flatten" to describe making something level, like "flatten the dough", or metaphorically, like "flatten the competition".

What's the difference between "level out" and "flatten"?

"Level out" implies achieving a consistent level after fluctuations, while "flatten" suggests making something uniformly level from an uneven state.

Which is correct, "flatten the curve" or "flatten out the curve"?

Both "flatten the curve" and "flatten out the curve" are correct, although "flatten the curve" is more concise and commonly used, especially in discussions about managing pandemics.

What can I say instead of "flatten" when describing simplifying a process?

Depending on the context, consider using alternatives like "streamline", "simplify", or "optimize" to better convey the specific type of simplification.