Illustration of wallflower
- wallflower 1a
wallflower
noun
wall·flow·er
ˈwȯl-ˌflau̇(-ə)r 
1
: any of several Old World perennial herbs (genus Erysimum synonym Cheiranthus) of the mustard family
especially
: a hardy erect herb (E. cheiri synonym C. cheiri) widely cultivated for its showy fragrant 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
Wolodarsky’s voice has such a wallflower quality to it, apt for Kylie, whose asides are barely acknowledged half the time.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
But, for now, the totality of the economic data isn’t expected to draw out Federal Reserve policymakers from their monthslong stint as wallflowers, economists say.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
Despite a scene explicitly showing how Violet’s sister, Jen (Violette Beane), pressured Fahy’s wallflower protagonist into wearing a look that character wouldn’t typically put on, Jeffares Hourie still thought a lot about how that item ended up in her closet.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
With plenty of punch, this collection is certainly not for the wallflowers.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wallflower
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Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
But, for now, the totality of the economic data isn’t expected to draw out Federal Reserve policymakers from their monthslong stint as wallflowers, economists say.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
Despite a scene explicitly showing how Violet’s sister, Jen (Violette Beane), pressured Fahy’s wallflower protagonist into wearing a look that character wouldn’t typically put on, Jeffares Hourie still thought a lot about how that item ended up in her closet.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
With plenty of punch, this collection is certainly not for the wallflowers.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wallflower
Cite this Entry
“Wallflower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wallflower. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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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