flat as a pancake
Meaning
Extremely flat; lacking height, thickness, or variation.
Origin
From the obvious comparison to a pancakeβs thin, level shape; used both literally (objects/land) and figuratively (lack of variation).
Notes
A common simile for extreme flatness. Often literal (tires, land), sometimes figurative for something lacking variation (e.g., tone, reaction).
Examples
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After the storm passed, our tent was flat as a pancake in the mud.
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I forgot to add baking powder, so the cake came out flat as a pancake.
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He sat on my hat, and now it's flat as a pancake.
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When I picked up the bike tire, it was flat as a pancake.
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The old cushion has lost all its stuffing and feels flat as a pancake.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as the complement after a linking verb: βbe/lie/sit flat as a pancake.β The phrase is fairly fixed; rarely changed beyond tense/verb choice.
Synonyms
- very flat
- flat as a board
- flat as a sheet of paper
- level as a table
Antonyms
- bumpy
- uneven
- hilly
- raised