shrinking violet

noun

1. a shy, modest, or self-effacing person.

shrinking violet

noun

1. informal.
   a shy person

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrinking violet¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Certainly no one who knows me would accuse me of being a shrinking violet.

From The Daily Beast

Put before proper media scrutiny, the brash “Southern Avenger” is a shrinking violet.

From The Daily Beast

Do you think Chris Christie, no shrinking violet, is going to let Geraldo cruise to the nomination?

From The Daily Beast

No shrinking violet, Gallagher likes the stage and will appear in a production of Love Letters with Sally Struthers this spring.

From The Daily Beast

She makes one of those sandwich men with a bell, on Sixth Avenue, look like a shrinking violet!

From Project Gutenberg

"That modest, shrinking violet we hear of so often is a shrieking braggart alongside of our grand young crusader," he remarked.

From Project Gutenberg

There was certainly nothing of the shrinking violet about this girl!

From Project Gutenberg

Never had he been more eager to play the part of the shrinking violet.

From Project Gutenberg

For a summary of his character one would not have used the phrase (as a contemporary of his remarked) of "a shrinking violet."

From Project Gutenberg