Meaning & use
flattery
Last updated
Excessive or insincere praise given to please someone or gain an advantage.
See it in a sentence
He saw through her flattery immediately and knew she wanted a favor.
The salesman's flattery didn't convince the customer to buy the more expensive model.
A note on using this word
Unlike a genuine compliment, flattery implies the praise is exaggerated or not entirely sincere, often used to manipulate.
Words with a similar meaning
adulationsweet talk
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
criticisminsult
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