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
Why Winter Damage Can Be Problematic for Camellias Camellias are no shrinking violets.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
This spring there are no shrinking violets, only beguiling wallflowers.
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 3 Jan. 2026
Emanuel, hardly a subtle shrinking violet throughout his career, nevertheless explained why things were different.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Nobody would have called it that back in the 1960s, of course, but the man who shares a name with a Roman emperor (those guys weren't shrinking violets either) tends to be the biggest presence on any starship bridge.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrinking violet
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
This spring there are no shrinking violets, only beguiling wallflowers.
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 3 Jan. 2026
Emanuel, hardly a subtle shrinking violet throughout his career, nevertheless explained why things were different.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Nobody would have called it that back in the 1960s, of course, but the man who shares a name with a Roman emperor (those guys weren't shrinking violets either) tends to be the biggest presence on any starship bridge.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrinking violet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking violet
Noun
-
At the center of this comedic cat-and-mouse chase was Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a longtime ally of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has gone from a powerful enforcer of a bloody drug crackdown to a wanted criminal on the run.—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
-
Jamie Foxx grabbed an action shot with the mouse himself at Disneyland in July 2017.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Sloths primarily live in rainforests and are known as biological introverts for their highly specialized diets and survival mechanisms adapted over millions of years of evolution.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrinking violet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking%20violet. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
