shrinking violet
Painfully modest person
A shrinking violet is a shy, timid person who avoids attention or social situations.
The phrase is often used ironically or in the negative: She's no shrinking violet—she'll tell you exactly what she thinks.
The violet flower grows low and partially hidden by leaves, giving rise to the metaphor.
Reserved and retiring
- bashfulUncomfortably self-conscious
- timidLacking courage or confidence
- reservedRestrained in manner
- self-consciousUncomfortably aware of oneself
diffident · meek · demure · coy · timorous · mousy · sheepish · blushing
Not making claims
- self-effacingDownplaying one's own importance
- modestLacking in pretension
- humbleUnassuming about oneself
- unassertiveNot forceful or bold
submissive · passive · deferential · quiet · subdued · gentle · mild · soft-spoken
Emotionally distant, disengaged
- reclusiveSeeking isolation from others
- introvertedTurned toward inner life
- retiringLeaving the workforce
- privateRestricted to certain parties
secluded · hermitic · solitary · antisocial · aloof · detached · isolated · hidden
One who perceives events
- spectatorObserver at an event
- bystanderOne who observes nearby
- onlookerPerson who observes
- backgroundOne's formative experiences
overlooked · unnoticed · inconspicuous · unobtrusive · low-profile · blending in · sidelined · on the sidelines
shy
Reserved and retiring
self-conscious · diffident · meek · demure · coy · timorous · mousy · sheepish · blushing · hesitant
unassuming
Not making claims
- self-effacingDownplaying one's own importance
- modestLacking in pretension
- humbleUnassuming about oneself
unassertive · submissive · passive · deferential · quiet · subdued · gentle · mild · soft-spoken · acquiescent
withdrawn
Emotionally distant, disengaged
- reclusiveSeeking isolation from others
- introvertedTurned toward inner life
- retiringLeaving the workforce
private · secluded · hermitic · solitary · antisocial · aloof · detached · isolated · hidden · invisible
observer
One who perceives events
background · overlooked · unnoticed · inconspicuous · unobtrusive · low-profile · blending in · sidelined · on the sidelines · overshadowed
- introvertsintrovert, introverted, shy, reserved, loner
- gender stereotypesboys will be boys, pink for girls, blue for boys, man up, strong men
- timiditybashfulness, shyness, timidness, timorousness, meekness
- pushoverspushover, doormat, wimp, weakling, milquetoast
- cowardicecoward, cowardly, craven, gutless, spineless
- people typesfriend, stranger, neighbor, enemy, buddy
shrinking violetextrovert
One who seeks company
show-off · loudmouth · attention seeker · social butterfly · life of the party
shrinking violetprima donna
Temperamental, self-important person
drama queen · attention hog · spotlight seeker · exhibitionist · ham
shrink, shrinking, violet, shrunk, shrank, shrinkage, shrinks, shrinkable, unshrinking