noun
wallflower
WAWL-flow-uh
noun
1
A person who feels too shy to join in at a party or dance and ends up standing on the sidelines.
"She used to be a wallflower at school dances, but now she loves performing."
2
A flowering plant with fragrant yellow, orange, or red blooms, often grown near walls.
"Wallflowers bloomed along the garden wall in spring."
How to Use Wallflower
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone too shy to join in, or (literally) a flower that grows against walls.
Common mistake
The "shy person" meaning is far more common in everyday speech than the literal plant name.
Word Forms
wallflowered past tense, wallflowers plural, wallflowers singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “wallflower”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She used to be a _____ at school dances, but now she loves performing.
Etymology
Named for the plant's habit of growing on or near old walls; the "shy person" sense developed by comparing someone standing quietly against a wall to the plant.