How to use flatly in a sentence

25 example sentences · adverb

Flatly means in a physically flat or level manner. Example: “It was an accusation that he flatly denied.”

Examples of flatly by meaning

adverbIn a physically flat or level manner.

He bent over the old woman again, with his ear turned flatly to her lips and then to the region of her heart.1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 214
Half a mile away, square open patches of yellow sand flatly glittered, and far on the horizon cranes and vast silver cylinders stood about, ghostly shining inhabitants of the marsh.1980, Margaret Drabble, The Middle Ground

adverbIn a definite manner; in a manner showing complete certainty.

It was an accusation that he flatly denied.
But one of the leaders, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, appeared on television at the time, flatly denying it was a military takeover.2023 August 30, “Gabon coup: The latest in a serious of military takeovers on the continent”, in BBC

adverbIn a manner that shows no emotion.

He replied flatly to the policeman's questions.
"Never," I said flatly.1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 119
"It's barbarous, Norsus." "It's Rome," said the giant flatly.1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Sydney: Scripts, page 65

More sentences with flatly

This is not just a wilful anachronism, it is flatly untrue.2022 July 18, Martin Pengelly, “I grew up where Liz Truss did, attended the same school. She’s not telling you the truth”, in The Guardian. From the entry red wall
“You were looking up my skirt,” she said flatly, in accentless English.2009, Emily St. John Mandel, Last Night in Montreal, Picador (2015), page 126. From the entry accentless
And I flatly refuse to be made to feel like a kept woman.2009, Lynne Graham, chapter 8, in The Ruthless Magnate's Virgin Mistress, Harlequin, page 125. From the entry trophy girlfriend
“Keeping her away from us will only rouse her interest all the more,” Zarah stated flatly.1992, Judith Gould, Forever, Dutton, →ISBN, page 208. From the entry paparazza
He followed her slowly into the empty hallway, announcing flatly, “I never made a seetee weapon.1949, Jack Williamson, “Seetee Shock”, in Astounding Science-Fiction, volume 42, number 4, page 149. From the entry seetee
For it seemed flatly impossible that different people should look exactly and undistinguishably alike.1905, Oliver Elton, The Danish History, Books I-IX. From the entry undistinguishably
He summoned the guilty ones before him one by one, but they flatly refused to come.1903–1909, “Extracto de una carta (Extract of a letter from the Indies)”, in Emma Helen Blair, James Alexander Robertson, editors, The…. From the entry information
He stated flatly that he could not run his airline with the middle seats unoccupied, as it was simply uneconomic.2020 July 15, Christian Wolmar, “J'Accuse...! A letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson”, in Rail, pages 50–51. From the entry stand up to
"You drive me crazy," she said flatly.2007, Victoria Laurie, Crime Seen: A Psychic Eye Mystery, page 109. From the entry back atcha
In fact he reverses the issue of religiophobia by stating flatly that those who are not against him are for him!2003, Ethan Walker, The Mystic Christ. From the entry religiophobia
I told her flatly that this was where we parted.1984, Dan Parkinson, Gunpowder Glory, page 103. From the entry asaddle
Are you a Vegan?" "No," Bart lied flatly.1963, Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Colors of Space. From the entry vegan
Of the Green New Deal, the proposal backed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that raises the goal of carbon neutrality in a decade, he is flatly dismissive.2021 February 15, Emma Brockes, quoting Bill Gates, “Bill Gates: ‘Carbon neutrality in a decade is a fairytale. Why peddle fantasies?’”…. From the entry carbon neutrality
This trend reached its logical end in an op-ed by Paul Krugman, who flatly debunked the truism that human life was "priceless".Paul Krugman (28 May 2020), “On the economics of not dying: What good is increasing G.D.P. if it kills you?”, in The New York Times, New…. From the entry priceless
Shafak sketches these Armenians flatly and superficially, as uniformly and fiercely anti-Turk — and as overprotectively fretful about beautiful and bookish Armanoush.2007 January 21, Lorraine Adams, “Armenian in Istanbul”, in New York Times. From the entry overprotectively
“I said,” Jed Elliott said flatly, his teeth showing, “that I can take care of myself.” And the tone was too flat.1957, The Saturday Evening Post Stories. From the entry Japheth
All the movements of the man and the woman were slow and steady; their springless feet padded flatly; their backs and shoulders were straight.1941, Emily Carr, chapter 11, in Klee Wyck. From the entry springless
Robert Lowell, first announcing flatly that Racine is untranslatable, puts his Alexandrines into speakable, nontinkling English couplets, a great feat and one that goes far to contradict his own statement.1961 August, Phoebe Lou Adams, “Potpourri”, in The Atlantic. From the entry pseudo-colloquial

Meaning of flatly

adverb In a physically flat or level manner.
adverb In a definite manner; in a manner showing complete certainty.
adverb In a manner that shows no emotion.

Full definition of flatly

Questions about flatly in a sentence

How do you use flatly in a sentence?: Flatly is used as an adverb. For example: “It was an accusation that he flatly denied.”
What is a short sentence with flatly?: “"Never," I said flatly.”
What does flatly mean?: Flatly means in a physically flat or level manner.

Adapted from Wiktionary: flatly (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use flatly in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/flatly. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.