Flat Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 5, 2024
Flat refers to a surface or shape without bumps, curves, or inclines, or something that lacks volume or liveliness. e.g., She drew a straight line on the flat paper.
Table of Contents
Flat Definitions
Surface Level: Flat describes a level surface without any raised or lowered parts.
The carpenter checked if the board was perfectly flat.
Tire: Flat, when used for a tire, means it has lost all its air and cannot be used until repaired.
My car had a flat tire this morning.
Taste: In terms of taste, flat can mean lacking flavor or zest.
The soda was flat after being left open overnight.
Musical Pitch: In music, flat indicates a pitch that is slightly lower than the correct or natural pitch.
The choir sang the note slightly flat.
Apartment: In British English, flat refers to an apartment or a set of rooms on the same floor.
She lives in a flat on the third floor.
Battery: When a battery is flat, it means it has no charge left.
My phone's battery is completely flat.
Art: In art, flat can describe colors without gradient or texture.
The artist chose a flat blue for the sky.
Emotion: Describing someone’s voice or performance as flat suggests a lack of emotion or enthusiasm.
His speech sounded flat and uninteresting.
Denial or Refusal: Flat can also mean an absolute denial or refusal, leaving no room for argument.
He flat refused to lend his car.
Economic: In economics, flat can refer to a market that shows no movement up or down.
The stock market was flat, with no significant changes.
Having a smooth, even surface
A flat field.
Having a relatively broad level surface in relation to thickness or depth
A flat box.
Being in horizontal position; lying down
Flat on his back.
Being without slope or curvature
A flat line on a chart.
Having a low heel or no heel
Flat shoes.
Free of qualification; absolute
A flat refusal.
Fixed; unvarying
A flat rate.
Lacking interest or excitement; dull
A flat scenario.
Lacking in flavor
A flat stew that needs salt.
Having lost effervescence or sparkle
Flat beer.
Deflated. Used of a tire.
Electrically discharged. Used of a storage battery.
Of or relating to a horizontal line that displays no ups or downs and signifies the absence of physiological activity
A flat electroencephalogram indicates a loss of brain function.
Of or relating to a hierarchy with relatively few tiers or levels
A flat organization chart.
Commercially inactive; sluggish
Flat sales for the month.
Unmodulated; monotonous
A flat voice.
Lacking variety in tint or shading; uniform
"The sky was bright but flat, the color of oyster shells" (Anne Tyler).
Not glossy; matte
Flat paint.
Being below the correct pitch.
Being one half step lower than the corresponding natural key
The key of B flat.
Designating the vowel a as pronounced in bad or cat.
(Nautical) Taut. Used of a sail.
Level with the ground; horizontally.
On or up against a flat surface; at full length.
So as to be flat.
Directly; completely
Went flat against the rules.
Flat broke.
Exactly; precisely
Arrived in six minutes flat.
(Music) Below the intended pitch.
(Business) Without interest charge.
A flat surface or part.
Often flats A stretch of level ground
Salt flats.
A shallow frame or box for seeds or seedlings.
A movable section of stage scenery, usually consisting of a wooden frame and a decorated panel of wood or cloth.
A flatcar.
A deflated tire.
A shoe with a flat heel.
A large flat piece of mail.
A horse that competes in a flat race. Also called runner.
A sign (♭) used to indicate that a note is to be lowered by a semitone.
A note that is lowered a semitone.
(Football) The area of the field to either side of an offensive formation.
An apartment on one floor of a building.
(Archaic) A story in a house.
To make flat; flatten.
(Music) To lower (a note) a semitone.
To sing or play below the proper pitch.
Having no variations in height.
The land around here is flat.
In a horizontal line or plane; not sloping.
A flat roof
Smooth; having no protrusions, indentations or other surface irregularities, or relatively so.
The surface of the mirror must be completely flat.
The carpet isn't properly flat in that corner.
She has quite a flat face.
Without variation in level, quantity, value, tone etc.
The exchange rate has been flat for several weeks.
At a consistently depressed level; consistently lacklustre.
Sales have been flat all year, and we've barely broken even.
Of fees, fares etc., fixed; unvarying.
A flat fee
Flat rates
A flat fare on public transport
Without variations in pitch.
He delivered the speech in a flat tone.
(of colours) Without variation in tone or hue (uniform), and dull (not glossy).
The walls were painted a flat gray.
(figurative) Lacking liveliness or action; depressed; uninteresting; dull and boring.
The party was a bit flat.
The market is flat today as most traders are on holiday.
The dialogue in your screenplay is flat — you need to make it more exciting.
Lacking in depth, substance, or believability; underdeveloped; one-dimensional.
The author added a chapter to flesh out the book's flatter characters.
Lowered by one semitone.
(music) Of a note or voice, lower in pitch than it should be.
Your A string is flat.
Absolute; downright; peremptory.
His claim was in flat contradiction to experimental results.
I'm not going to the party and that's flat.
(of a tire or other inflated object) Deflated, especially because of a puncture.
(of a carbonated drink) With all or most of its carbon dioxide having come out of solution so that the drink no longer fizzes or contains any bubbles.
(wine) Lacking acidity without being sweet.
(of a battery) Unable to emit power; dead.
Without spin; spinless.
Sonant; vocal, as distinguished from a sharp (non-sonant) consonant.
(grammar) Not having an inflectional ending or sign, such as a noun used as an adjective, or an adjective as an adverb, without the addition of a formative suffix; or an infinitive without the sign "to".
Many flat adverbs, as in 'run fast', 'buy cheap', etc. are from Old English.
Having a head at a very obtuse angle to the shaft.
Flattening at the ends.
(of measurements of time) Exact.
He finished the race in a flat four minutes.
So as to be flat.
Spread the tablecloth flat over the table.
Bluntly.
I asked him if he wanted to marry me and he turned me down flat.
(of accurately measured timings) Exactly, precisely.
In the mile race, Smith's time was 3:58.56, and Brown's was four minutes flat.
Used to emphasize the smallness of the measurement.
He can run a mile in four minutes flat.
Completely.
I am flat broke this month.
Directly; flatly.
Without allowance for accrued interest.
The bonds are trading flat.
An area of level ground (sometimes covered with water).
The hovercraft skimmed across the open flats.
The eastern end of the salt flat; mud flat, tidal flat, flood flat
(in the phrase 'the flat') Level ground in general.
I can run on the flat but not up hills.
The going will be easier once we're through these mountains and onto the flat.
Level horse-racing ground, as contrasted with courses incorporating jumps, or the racing done on such ground.
This horse will do better over the flat.
Flat racing, the flat season
The area in the centre of a racecourse.
(music) A note played a semitone lower than a natural, denoted by the symbol ♭ placed after the letter representing the note (e.g., B♭) or in front of the note symbol (e.g. ♭♪).
The key of E♭ has three flats.
A flat tyre/flat tire.
(in the plural) A type of ladies' shoe with a very low heel.
She liked to walk in her flats more than in her high heels.
(in the plural) A type of flat-soled running shoe without spikes.
(painting) A thin, broad brush used in oil and watercolour painting.
The flat part of something:
(swordfighting) The flat side of a blade, as opposed to the sharp edge.
The palm of the hand, with the adjacent part of the fingers.
A wide, shallow container or pallet.
A flat of strawberries
(mail) A large mail piece measuring at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches, such as catalogs, magazines, and unfolded paper enclosed in large envelopes.
A railroad car without a roof, and whose body is a platform without sides; a platform car or flatcar.
A flat-bottomed boat, without keel, and of small draught.
(geometry) A subset of n-dimensional space that is congruent to a Euclidean space of lower dimension.
A straw hat, broad-brimmed and low-crowned.
A flat sheet for use on a bed.
(publishing) A flat, glossy children's book with few pages.
A platform on a wheel, upon which emblematic designs etc. are carried in processions.
(mining) A horizontal vein or ore deposit auxiliary to a main vein; also, any horizontal portion of a vein not elsewhere horizontal.
(technical, theatre, stagecraft) A rectangular wooden structure covered with masonite, lauan, or muslin, often produced in standard modules, that is used to build wall surfaces on stage. Flats can be painted and outfitted with doors and/or windows to depict a building or other part of a scene. It's a hard-surfaced alternative to a backcloth orbackdrop.
(entomology) Any of various hesperiid butterflies that spread their wings open when they land.
(historical) An early kind of toy soldier having a flat design.
(obsolete) A dull fellow; a simpleton.
(optics) A flat (i.e. plane) mirror
A cheater's die with the edges shaved to make certain rolls more likely.
An apartment, usually on one level and usually consisting of more than one room.
(poker slang) To make a flat call; to call without raising.
(intransitive) To become flat or flattened; to sink or fall to an even surface.
To fall from the pitch.
To depress in tone, as a musical note; especially, to lower in pitch by half a tone.
To make flat; to flatten; to level.
To render dull, insipid, or spiritless; to depress.
To beat or strike; pound
(transitive) To dash or throw
(intransitive) To dash, rush
Having an even and horizontal surface, or nearly so, without prominences or depressions; level without inclination; plane.
Though sun and moonWere in the flat sea sunk.
Lying at full length, or spread out, upon the ground; level with the ground or earth; prostrate; as, to lie flat on the ground; hence, fallen; laid low; ruined; destroyed.
What ruins kingdoms, and lays cities flat!
I feel . . . my hopes all flat.
Wanting relief; destitute of variety; without points of prominence and striking interest.
A large part of the work is, to me, very flat.
Tasteless; stale; vapid; insipid; dead; as, fruit or drink flat to the taste.
Unanimated; dull; uninteresting; without point or spirit; monotonous; as, a flat speech or composition.
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitableSeem to me all the uses of this world.
Lacking liveliness of commercial exchange and dealings; depressed; dull; as, the market is flat.
Clear; unmistakable; peremptory; absolute; positive; downright.
Flat burglary as ever was committed.
A great tobacco taker too, - that's flat.
Below the true pitch; hence, as applied to intervals, minor, or lower by a half step; as, a flat seventh; A flat.
Sonant; vocal; - applied to any one of the sonant or vocal consonants, as distinguished from a nonsonant (or sharp) consonant.
Having a head at a very obtuse angle to the shaft; - said of a club.
Not having an inflectional ending or sign, as a noun used as an adjective, or an adjective as an adverb, without the addition of a formative suffix, or an infinitive without the sign to. Many flat adverbs, as in run fast, buy cheap, are from AS. adverbs in -ë, the loss of this ending having made them like the adjectives. Some having forms in ly, such as exceeding, wonderful, true, are now archaic.
Flattening at the ends; - said of certain fruits.
Of all who fell by saber or by shot,Not one fell half so flat as Walter Scott.
In a flat manner; directly; flatly.
Sin is flat opposite to the Almighty.
Without allowance for accrued interest.
A level surface, without elevation, relief, or prominences; an extended plain; specifically, in the United States, a level tract along the along the banks of a river; as, the Mohawk Flats.
Envy is as the sunbeams that beat hotter upon a bank, or steep rising ground, than upon a flat.
A level tract lying at little depth below the surface of water, or alternately covered and left bare by the tide; a shoal; a shallow; a strand.
Half my power, this nightPassing these flats, are taken by the tide.
Something broad and flat in form
The flat part, or side, of anything; as, the broad side of a blade, as distinguished from its edge.
A floor, loft, or story in a building;
A horizontal vein or ore deposit auxiliary to a main vein; also, any horizontal portion of a vein not elsewhere horizontal.
A dull fellow; a simpleton; a numskull.
Or if you can not make a speech,Because you are a flat.
A character [$] before a note, indicating a tone which is a half step or semitone lower.
A homaloid space or extension.
To make flat; to flatten; to level.
To render dull, insipid, or spiritless; to depress.
Passions are allayed, appetites are flatted.
To depress in tone, as a musical note; especially, to lower in pitch by half a tone.
To become flat, or flattened; to sink or fall to an even surface.
To fall form the pitch.
A level tract of land
A shallow box in which seedlings are started
A musical notation indicating one half step lower than the note named
Freight car without permanent sides or roof
A deflated pneumatic tire
Scenery consisting of a wooden frame covered with painted canvas; part of a stage setting
A suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
Having a horizontal surface in which no part is higher or lower than another;
A flat desk
Acres of level farmland
A plane surface
Having no depth or thickness
Not modified or restricted by reservations;
A categorical denial
A flat refusal
Stretched out and lying at full length along the ground;
Found himself lying flat on the floor
Lacking contrast or shading between tones
Lowered in pitch by one chromatic semitone;
B flat
C sharp
Flattened laterally along the whole length (e.g., certain leafstalks or flatfishes)
Lacking taste or flavor or tang;
A bland diet
Insipid hospital food
Flavorless supermarket tomatoes
Vapid beer
Vapid tea
Lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting;
A bland little drama
A flat joke
Having lost effervescence;
Flat beer
A flat cola
Not increasing as the amount taxed increases
Not made with leavening;
Most flat breads are made from unleavened dough
Parallel to the ground;
A flat roof
Without pleats
Lacking the expected range or depth; not designed to give an illusion or depth;
A film with two-dimensional characters
A flat two-dimensional painting
(of a tire) completely or partially deflated
Not reflecting light; not glossy;
Flat wall paint
A photograph with a matte finish
Lacking variety in shading;
A flat unshaded painting
At full length;
He fell flat on his face
With flat sails;
Sail flat against the wind
Below the proper pitch;
She sang flat last night
Against a flat surface;
He lay flat on his back
In a forthright manner; candidly or frankly;
He didn't answer directly
Told me straight out
Came out flat for less work and more pay
Wholly or completely;
He is flat broke
Flat Snonyms
Even
Uniform in surface, without significant variation in height.
The painter ensured the coat of paint was even and smooth.
Level
Having a flat, even surface without raised areas or indentations.
They built the house on level ground for stability.
Smooth
Having an unbroken and consistent surface; free from irregularities or projections.
The lake was perfectly smooth, like a sheet of glass.
Plane
A flat or level surface.
The carpenter used a plane to smooth the wood.
Unvaried
Not varied or diversified; uniform.
The diet consisted of an unvaried menu of rice and beans.
Unembellished
Not adorned; without added decoration or ornamentation.
The simplicity of the unembellished dress appealed to her minimalist taste.
Plain
Not decorated or elaborate; simple or ordinary in character.
She preferred plain black coffee without any sugar or cream.
Flatland
A region in which the land is predominantly flat, without significant hills or valleys.
The cyclists enjoyed their ride through the flatland.
Straight
Extending or moving uniformly in one direction only; without a curve or bend.
The road ahead was straight and clear of obstacles.
Horizontal
Parallel to the plane of the horizon; at right angles to the vertical.
The picture was hung perfectly horizontal on the wall.
Flat Idioms & Phrases
Flat as a pancake
Extremely flat, often used to describe landscapes.
The plains were as flat as a pancake, with no hills in sight.
In flat denial
To deny something completely.
He was in flat denial of the accusations against him.
Flat-footed
To be caught unprepared or surprised.
The sudden question from the audience caught the speaker flat-footed.
On the flat
On level ground, without incline or decline.
The race was run on the flat, making it fast and competitive.
Keep a flat back
To maintain a good posture, especially while lifting.
Remember to keep a flat back when picking up heavy boxes.
Flat tire
A disappointment or someone who fails to meet expectations.
He turned out to be a flat tire on their second date, talking only about himself.
Fall flat
To fail to produce the intended or expected effect.
The comedian's joke fell flat, leaving the audience in awkward silence.
Flat out
To do something at maximum speed or effort.
She was driving flat out to catch up after being late.
Flat out like a lizard drinking
To be very busy or working hard.
With the deadline approaching, she was flat out like a lizard drinking.
Lay flat
To make something completely flat or level.
Please lay the documents flat on the table before you leave.
Flat broke
Having no money at all.
After paying all his bills, he was flat broke until the next paycheck.
Flat beer
Beer that has lost its carbonation, often used metaphorically to describe something stale or uninteresting.
The party was as exciting as flat beer, with everyone looking bored.
Flat as a board
Very flat, often used to describe someone's physique humorously or rudely.
After months of diet and exercise, he joked he was still as flat as a board.
Flat rate
A charge or fee that is the same in all cases, not varying with usage or time.
The taxi service charges a flat rate for rides to the airport.
Flat lighting
Lighting in photography that produces very little contrast on the subject.
The portrait was taken with flat lighting to minimize shadows on the face.
Flat pack
Furniture or other items sold in pieces packed flat for assembly by the buyer.
They bought a flat pack desk from the store and assembled it at home.
Take something lying flat
To accept something passively without resistance.
She wouldn't take the criticism lying flat and responded with strong arguments.
Flat note
A musical note that is slightly lower in pitch than the true note.
The singer hit a flat note, slightly off from the rest of the choir.
Have a flat effect
To show no emotional response; to be unexpressive.
Despite the exciting news, she had a flat effect, showing no joy.
Flat spin
A state of confusion or panic.
After losing his job, he went into a flat spin about his future.
Flat Example Sentences
If your drink tastes flat, you should get a fresh one.
She prefers living in a flat rather than a house.
The lake was so calm that its surface was completely flat.
We realized the basketball was flat when it wouldn't bounce.
The painter used a flat finish to create a matte effect.
They gave him a flat "no" when he asked for more dessert.
Her performance was criticized for being too flat and emotionless.
The teacher asked why the graph line was flat during the experiment.
After the concert, we found out the van had a flat tire.
To fix a flat tire, you need a pump or a spare.
For the art project, we were instructed to use flat colors only.
He painted the walls a flat shade of green for a calming effect.
In the choir, being flat is less noticeable than being sharp.
The phone went dead because the battery was flat.
The joke fell flat, leaving an awkward silence in the room.
Common Curiosities
How is flat used in a sentence?
"She lives in a flat on the fourth floor."
What is the verb form of flat?
Flat can function as a verb in some contexts, especially in British English, meaning to live in a flat (apartment), but it's more commonly used as an adjective. Another verb form related to music is "to flatten," meaning to lower a pitch.
How do we divide flat into syllables?
Flat is not divided into syllables since it is only one syllable.
Why is it called flat?
It is called flat because it refers to a surface or area that is level, even, and without significant variation in height, or to a musical note that is slightly lower in pitch than the standard.
How many syllables are in flat?
There is one syllable in flat.
What is a stressed syllable in flat?
Since flat is a single syllable word, that syllable is inherently stressed.
What is the root word of flat?
The root word is "flat" itself, derived from Old Norse 'flatr', meaning level or smooth.
What is the singular form of flat?
The singular form is "flat."
Is flat an abstract noun?
No, flat is not typically considered an abstract noun since it refers to tangible qualities or objects.
What is the pronunciation of flat?
The pronunciation of flat is /flæt/.
What part of speech is flat?
Flat can be an adjective, noun, or verb depending on the context.
What is another term for flat?
Another term for flat (as in an apartment) is "apartment." For the adjective, synonyms could include "level," "even," or "smooth."
Is flat a negative or positive word?
Flat is neutral; its positive or negative connotation depends on the context.
Which determiner is used with flat?
Determiners such as "the," "a," or "an" can be used with flat depending on the context, e.g., "the flat," "a flat."
Is flat a noun or adjective?
Flat can be both a noun and an adjective, depending on its use in a sentence.
Is flat a vowel or consonant?
This question doesn't apply to the word "flat" as a whole; it applies to individual letters.
Is the word “flat” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
The word "flat" can serve as a direct object in a sentence, e.g., "He rented a flat."
Is the flat term a metaphor?
It can be used metaphorically, for example, to describe a lack of excitement or variation.
Is the word flat Gerund?
No, flat is not a gerund; it does not end in -ing nor does it function as a noun derived from a verb in this manner.
Which vowel is used before flat?
The question seems to misunderstand the usage of vowels. Vowels are letters, not words used before nouns. However, the articles "a" or "an" are used based on the following word's initial sound, not applicable to "flat" as "flat" starts with a consonant sound.
Which article is used with flat?
The indefinite article "a" or the definite article "the" can be used with flat depending on whether you are referring to a specific flat or flats in general.
Is flat a collective noun?
No, flat is not typically used as a collective noun.
Is the word flat imperative?
No, flat is not imperative; it is primarily an adjective or noun. The imperative form would apply to verbs.
What is the plural form of flat?
The plural form is "flats."
What is the opposite of flat?
The opposite of flat could be "uneven," "rough" for surfaces, or "sharp" (higher in pitch) in a musical context.
Is flat an adverb?
There is an adverbial form, "flatly," which means "in a flat manner" or "directly and firmly."
Is flat a countable noun?
Yes, when used to refer to apartments or similar units, flat is a countable noun.
Which preposition is used with flat?
Prepositions such as "in," "on," or "at" can be used with flat depending on the context, e.g., "in a flat," "at the flat."
Which conjunction is used with flat?
Conjunctions like "and," "or," and "but" can be used in sentences involving "flat" to connect clauses or items, depending on the sentence structure.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Term
Bestow Definition and Meaning
Next Term
Emphasize Definition and MeaningAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
