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Region: General | Usage example: The car’s hood was flat as a pancake after the crash.

Flat as a pancake

Meaning

Completely flat.

Usage

Describes surfaces, land, or sometimes comic effects.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Pancakes are thin and level, so the comparison highlights flatness.

Recorded in 19th-century American cookbooks and talk.