# flannel

/ˈfɫænəɫ/ (US) · /flˈænəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flannel
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. soft fabric

noun · CEFR B1

a soft, warm cloth made of wool or cotton, often used for shirts or pyjamas.

For teachers: a soft woven fabric, typically of wool or cotton and slightly milled and raised. Uncountable when referring to the material itself.

- He wore a warm flannel shirt to go hiking in the mountains.
- The designer selected a heavy grey flannel for the winter collection, valuing its durability and heat retention properties.

### 2. a washcloth

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

a small square of cloth used for washing your face or body.

For teachers: a small square of absorbent cloth used for personal hygiene. Countable; primarily used in British and New Zealand English.

- She soaked the flannel in warm water and wiped the child's face.
- The hotel bathroom was stocked with fresh white flannels and luxury soaps for the guests.

### 3. evasive talk

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal

talk that sounds polite but is used to avoid answering a question or telling the truth.

For teachers: evasive or flattering speech used to mislead or avoid a direct question.

- Stop giving me all this flannel and just tell me if the job is done.
- The politician's response was pure flannel, designed to placate the audience without committing to any specific policy changes.

### 4. made of flannel

adjective · CEFR B1

describes something made from soft flannel fabric.

For teachers: composed of or pertaining to flannel fabric.

- She bought some flannel pyjamas to stay warm during the winter.
- He preferred flannel trousers for office wear during the colder months due to their soft texture.

### 5. to talk evasively

verb · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal

to talk a lot without saying anything important, usually to avoid a difficult question.

For teachers: to speak in an evasive or misleadingly flattering manner. Intransitive in this sense.

- The manager started to flannel when I asked about my pay rise.
- When pressed for a deadline, the contractor began to flannel, citing vague supply chain issues that he couldn't specifically define.

## Examples

- Stop giving me all this flannel and answer the question.
- The politician's speech was mostly flannel, designed to please the crowd without committing to any specific policy changes.
- The board saw through the CEO's corporate flannel, demanding a transparent breakdown of the quarterly losses rather than vague assurances of future growth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.