shrinking violet

noun

Definition of shrinking violetnext
as in mouse
a shy or reserved person a reality show that wants shameless exhibitionists, not shrinking violets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shrinking violet This is not a collection for the shrinking violets among us. — Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026 Encore Macau Like its sister property in Vegas, Encore Macau is no shrinking violet. — Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026 Tress surely recognized himself in all these men, from the saddest shrinking violet to the happy flasher with nothing under his trenchcoat but pants cut off just above the knees. — Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Why Winter Damage Can Be Problematic for Camellias Camellias are no shrinking violets. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrinking violet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking violet
  1. mouse
  2. introvert
Noun
  • Reuters said March and April reports of impending layoffs and Meta tracking employees’ keyboard and mouse input in order to train AI agents (Meta has since paused the program) hurt employee morale.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With more than two decades of professional experience, Terry Guido has built a notable career in image analysis of mouse models with Alzheimer’s-like pathology.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of mouse
Noun
  • Matty is an introvert who, despite his indecisive and hesitant nature, has managed to come out, surrounded by family and friends who support him.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • How tough is that sometimes as a player who’s maybe a little bit more reserved, a little bit more of an introvert?
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of introvert

Browse Nearby Words

shrinking
shrinking violet
shrinking violets
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrinking violet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking%20violet. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All