wallflower

noun wall·flow·er \ ˈwȯl-ˌflau̇(-ə)r \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: wallflower in a Sentence

Definition of wallflower

1 a : any of several Old World perennial herbs (genus Cheiranthus) of the mustard family; especially : a hardy erect herb (C. cheiri) widely cultivated for its showy fragrant flowers

b : any of a related genus (Erysimum) of herbs with showy flowers

2 a : a person who from shyness or unpopularity remains on the sidelines of a social activity (such as a dance)

b : a shy or reserved person

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Examples of wallflower in a Sentence

there were too many wallflowers at the party, so things never really got lively

Recent Examples of wallflower from the Web

And though their trend-forward statement pieces aren’t for wallflowers, the collection of earrings, bracelets and necklaces retail at an accessible price point — just in case the movie gives fellow theatergoers any ideas.

— amber elliott, Houston Chronicle, "What to Wear: To dress a thief," 6 June 2018
The video begins with Selena playing the role of an inconspicuous wallflower at a party.

— lauren rearick, Teen Vogue, "Selena Gomez Released a New Music Video for "13 Reasons Why" Song "Back to You"," 5 June 2018
These brief spectacles belie the dogwoods’ reputation as the ultimate woodland wallflower, obvious only briefly, and rarely attracting attention thereafter.

— dave taft, New York Times, "Blaze of Glory," 16 May 2018
Harriet never a wallflower, spear headed the effort to stop I-84 from bisecting our beloved West Hartford reservoir in the early 70's.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Harriet R. Mogensen," 13 May 2018
As the name suggest, the party rolls out all the best bops from Daft Punk, as well as related artists, for those who are somewhere between dramatic move-buster and reluctant wallflower.

— adam lukach, RedEye Chicago, "5 things to do in Chicago this weekend," 21 Dec. 2017
Hibs weren't willing to play the role of wallflowers at Celtic's title party and quickly put the visitors on the back foot.

— afp, chicagotribune.com, "Scotland Recap: Celtic miss chance to clinch title against Hibernian," 21 Apr. 2018
Schumer looks lost in early scenes that paint Renee as a wallflower, scavenging the internet for dates with her two pals (Aidy Bryant, Busy Philipps).

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "Amy Schumer's 'I Feel Pretty': Not oh so witty or wise," 18 Apr. 2018
Others show multiple figures, their torsos tangled together or stacked in stylized patterns. Genitals — often engorged — are anything but wallflowers.

— david pagel, latimes.com, "For Kitty Brophy, freedom from authority in some wickedly sensuous lines," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wallflower.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of wallflower

First Known Use of wallflower

1577

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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wallflower Synonyms

Financial Definition of WALLFLOWER

wallflower

noun

What It Is

Wallflower is slang for a stock that analysts and investors tend to neglect.

How It Works

Usually used to describe individuals who are relegated to the sidelines in social events, in investing, wallflowers are stocks that investors and analysts tend to ignore. Also called orphan stocks, wallflowers do not typically display outstanding market performance, but sometimes the reason for a stock being classified as a wallflower may not be clear.

Why It Matters

Value investors sometimes hunt specifically for wallflowers. Because their stock price hasn't been inflated by investor demand, wallflowers tend to have low P/E ratios, which many investors believe can lead to solid long-term returns.

Source: Investing Answers

WALLFLOWER Defined for English Language Learners

wallflower

noun

Definition of wallflower for English Language Learners

: a person who is shy or unpopular and who stands or sits apart from other people at a dance or party
: a garden plant grown for its bright, pleasant-smelling flowers