flattering
adjective
flat·ter·ing ˈfla-tər-iŋ 
1
: marked by flattery: such as
a
: showing or expressing gratifying respect or admiration
a flattering comparison
His colleagues might have disowned him, but they didn't receive flattering invitations to speak all over the country and to write for The New York Times.
Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins b
: excessively or insincerely complimentary
… a steady stream of ham actors, all of whom were welcomed with flattering speeches. H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken2
: helping to enhance attractiveness
a necktie in a flattering color
… dictating the most flattering camera angles. David Margolick
David MargolickThe gowns were indeed smashing: smart, sexy, eye-catching, and very, very flattering. The New Yorker
The New Yorker flatteringly adverb
The so-called Generation X has been described by some—not flatteringly—as a scavenger culture that gathers music, art and fashions from recent past generations rather than creating its own. Steve Hochman
Steve Hochman Her upper body is all besuited business—the black jacket, the white blouse reflecting flatteringly on the face, the understated silver choker and earrings, the burnished brown bob. Rebecca Mead
Rebecca Mead 
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing flattering
flattering 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in laudatory
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- laudatory
- eulogistic
- praiseful
- favorable
- positive
- panegyrical
- hagiographic
- admiring
- warm
- encomiastic
- appreciative
- complimentary
- friendly
- approving
- supportive
- commendatory
- accepting
- hagiographical
- applauding
- good
- laudative
- respectful
- sympathetic
- adulatory
- approbatory
- worshipful
- adoring
- worshipping
- idolizing
- worshiping
- advisory
- recommendatory
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- critical
- captious
- hypercritical
- censuring
- overcritical
- unflattering
- disparaging
- scornful
- faultfinding
- contemptuous
- disdainful
- slighting
- negative
- unfavorable
- uncomplimentary
- belittling
- derogatory
- adverse
- cavilling
- carping
- unfriendly
- disapproving
- depreciatory
- caviling
- depreciative
- unappreciative
- inappreciative
2
as in fulsome
Synonyms & Similar Words
- fulsome
- excessive
- pretentious
- grandiose
- inflated
- boastful
- bombastic
- stilted
- bloated
- pompous
- rhetoric
- affected
- flowery
- purple
- grandiloquent
- eloquent
- florid
- ornate
- rhetorical
- high-sounding
- fancy-pants
- lofty
- high-flown
- aureate
- highfalutin
- hifalutin
- bookish
- magnific
- learned
- elevated
- inkhorn
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unpoetic
- prosaic
- simple
- plain
- straightforward
- direct
- lean
- unadorned
- natural
- bald
- stark
- spare
- unpretentious
- plainspoken
- matter-of-fact
- unaffected
flattering
2 of 2verb
1
as in praising
to praise too much the billionaire has an army of assistants who are eager to flatter him at every opportunity Synonyms & Similar Words
- praising
- commending
- applauding
- massaging
- adulating
- congratulating
- overpraising
- stroking
- honeying
- fawning
- puffing
- complimenting
- coaxing
- belauding
- hero-worshiping
- wooing
- toadying
- ingratiating
- buttering up
- cajoling
- wheedling
- blarneying
- blandishing
- endearing
- kowtowing
- eulogizing
- extolling
- soft-soaping
- hero-worshipping
- idolizing
- lauding
- gushing
- worshiping
- sweet-talking
- worshipping
- felicitating
- romancing
- courting
- sucking (up to)
- slavering
- slobbering
- drooling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disparaging
- belittling
- decrying
- depreciating
- putting down
- bad-mouthing
2
as in priding
to think highly of (oneself) don't flatter yourself that no one has ever thought of that idea before Synonyms & Similar Words
- priding
- congratulating
- bragging
- vaunting
- vaporing
- boasting
- swaggering
- pluming
- swanking
- piquing
- gasconading
- crowing
- swashing
- felicitating