flat
FLAT
Flat (adj) means Level and even, with no slope, bumps, or curves. Example: “They pitched the tent on a flat patch of ground.”
adj
1
Level and even, with no slope, bumps, or curves.
"They pitched the tent on a flat patch of ground."
"The road ran flat for miles across the plain."
"You need a flat surface to roll out the pastry properly."
2
Unchanging or without variation, especially in sales, tone, or energy.
"Sales have been flat for the third quarter running."
"He answered in a flat voice, showing no emotion at all."
"The singer's performance felt flat, as though she had lost all her enthusiasm."
3
Of a tyre, deflated, usually because of a puncture.
"We had to pull over when the front tyre went flat."
"I found my bicycle tyre flat this morning, so I walked to work."
"He pumped up the flat tyre and hoped it would last the journey."
4
Of a drink, having lost its fizz.
"The lemonade had gone flat by the time we opened it."
"Nobody likes flat cola, so make sure you close the bottle tightly."
"The champagne tasted flat because it had been left open all night."
5
In music, lower in pitch than the correct note, or (of a written note) lowered by a semitone.
"The violinist noticed she was playing slightly flat."
"The choir sounded flat during the last verse, and the conductor winced."
"In this piece, the second note is written flat, so lower it slightly."
noun
1
(British) A self-contained set of rooms for living in, occupying part of a larger building; an apartment.
"They rent a two-bedroom flat above the bakery."
"He moved into his first flat straight after university."
"Our flat is on the third floor, and the lift is often broken."
How to use flat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLevel and unbroken, without ups and downs — literally (a flat road) or figuratively (flat sales, a flat tone); in British English it also just means "apartment."
Common mistake
Don't confuse the musical sense (lower than the correct pitch) with "sharp," which is higher.
UK vs US
In British English "flat" means what Americans call an "apartment."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
flat tyre
flat rate
flat voice
rent a flat
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like flat.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- flats
- Third person singular
- flats
- Past tense
- flatted
- Comparative
- flatter, more flat
- Superlative
- flattest, most flat
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They pitched the tent on a _____ patch of ground.
Etymology
From Old Norse flatr ("flat"), borrowed into Middle English. The "apartment" sense comes from an older meaning of flat as "a level floor or storey."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for flat
See all rhymes for flat →Frequently asked questions
What does “flat” mean?
The word “flat” means level and even, with no slope, bumps, or curves. In plain terms, level and unbroken, without ups and downs — literally (a flat road) or figuratively (flat sales, a flat tone); in British English it also just means "apartment.".
How do you pronounce “flat”?
“Flat” is pronounced FLAT (/ˈflæt/ in IPA).
How do you use “flat” in a sentence?
Here is “flat” used in a sentence: “They pitched the tent on a flat patch of ground.”
What is another word for “flat”?
Words with a similar meaning to “flat” include even, planar, plane, smooth, uniform and boring.
What is the opposite of “flat”?
The opposite of “flat” — its antonyms — are bumpy, cratered, hilly, rough and wrinkled.
What part of speech is “flat”?
Depending on how it is used, “flat” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “flat” come from?
The word “flat” comes from Middle English. From Old Norse flatr ("flat"), borrowed into Middle English. The "apartment" sense comes from an older meaning of flat as "a level floor or storey.".
Is “flat” a common word?
“Flat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between flat and sharp?
In music, these are opposites of pitch: a flat note is lowered by a semitone, while a sharp note is raised by one. Singing "flat" means slightly below the correct pitch, and "sharp" means above it. Outside music, though, flat usually just means level and even, and sharp means pointed or keen instead.
What are the different meanings of flat?
"Flat" is a versatile word. It can mean level and even (flat ground), a deflated tyre (a flat), a drink that has lost its fizz (flat lemonade), a lowered musical note, a dull or lifeless mood (feeling flat), and, in British English, an apartment. Context makes clear which sense is meant.
What is the opposite of flat?
It depends on the meaning. For a level surface, the opposites are bumpy, uneven, hilly, or sloping. For a flat tyre, it is inflated; for a flat drink, fizzy; and for a flat musical note, sharp. In its most common sense — level and even — "bumpy" or "uneven" is the natural opposite.
What is an example of flat?
A calm lake, a sheet of paper, a football pitch, or a salt plain are all flat — level and even, with no slopes or bumps. You might also describe flat ground for pitching a tent or a flat road that is easy to cycle. The word stresses the absence of rise or dip.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include flat:
