Examples of shrinking violet in a Sentence
He's no shrinking violet when it comes to competition.
a reality show that wants shameless exhibitionists, not shrinking violets
Recent Examples on the Web
Why Winter Damage Can Be Problematic for Camellias Camellias are no shrinking violets.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 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
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
See All Example Sentences for shrinking violet
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.
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 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
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
See All Example Sentences for shrinking violet
Cite this Entry
“Shrinking violet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrinking%20violet. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
