Illustration of wallflower
- wallflower 1a
wallflower
noun
wall·flow·er
ˈwȯl-ˌflau̇(-ə)r 
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
Examples of wallflower in a Sentence
there were too many wallflowers at the party, so things never really got lively
Recent Examples on the Web
As fans have known since Bridgerton’s first season finale, Whistledown is none other than Penelope Featherington—the clever wallflower (played with verve and empathy by Nicola Coughlan) who has languished long enough without nuptial prospects to be considered an old maid.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 16 May 2024
The main storyline is built around the series’ single most charming character, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) — the wallflower who secretly has the entire ton under her thumb as Lady Whistledown, the anonymous author of its most notorious scandal sheet.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
And these A-list attendees are no withering wallflowers.
—Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024
Often referred to as a wallflower in the first two seasons, season 3 tells the story of Penelope’s confidence and love life blooming.
—Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 4 May 2024
This week’s red carpets were certainly not ideal for wallflowers.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Some wallflowers also have red, white or purple blooms, and the plants will reseed to grow back in the spring.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
This isn’t a wallflower’s luxury hideaway for Capri refuseniks, but rather the ideal five-star perch for someone who wants to embrace the high-season scene with gusto.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024
This is a particularly awkward one, but Pen portrays herself as this meek wallflower.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2023
Judy Berman, TIME, 16 May 2024
The main storyline is built around the series’ single most charming character, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) — the wallflower who secretly has the entire ton under her thumb as Lady Whistledown, the anonymous author of its most notorious scandal sheet.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
And these A-list attendees are no withering wallflowers.
—Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024
Often referred to as a wallflower in the first two seasons, season 3 tells the story of Penelope’s confidence and love life blooming.
—Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 4 May 2024
This week’s red carpets were certainly not ideal for wallflowers.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Some wallflowers also have red, white or purple blooms, and the plants will reseed to grow back in the spring.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
This isn’t a wallflower’s luxury hideaway for Capri refuseniks, but rather the ideal five-star perch for someone who wants to embrace the high-season scene with gusto.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024
This is a particularly awkward one, but Pen portrays herself as this meek wallflower.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wallflower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Wallflower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wallflower. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wallflower
noun
wall·flow·er
ˈwȯl-ˌflau̇(-ə)r
: a person who from shyness or unpopularity remains alone (as at a dance)
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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