friend zone
Platonic limbo state
The friend zone is the situation of being regarded by someone as merely a friend when you want a romantic or sexual relationship with them.
Usually applied to men who fail to attract women they pursue: She put him in the friend zone.
The term implies—sometimes resentfully—that friendship is a consolation prize rather than a relationship of value.
Not returned in kind
- crushCompress with force
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- piningAching with prolonged desire
- one-sidedUnfairly weighted toward one
letdown · disappointment · romantic interest · brushoff · turned down · passed over · sidelined · benched
Informal term for companion
- palClose trusted companion
- companionshipState of having company
- confidantTrusted keeper of secrets
- hangoutFrequented gathering place
no spark · chemistry · boundaries · comfortable · safe · nonsexual · supportive · trusted
unrequited
Not returned in kind
one-sided · letdown · disappointment · romantic interest · brushoff · turned down · passed over · sidelined · benched · overlooked
buddy
Informal term for companion
- palClose trusted companion
- companionshipState of having company
- confidantTrusted keeper of secrets
hangout · no spark · chemistry · boundaries · comfortable · safe · nonsexual · supportive · trusted · familiar
- dating typesbad boy, player, gold digger, nice guy, hopeless romantic
- dating slangghosting, breadcrumbing, talking, situationship, cuffing
- rom-comrom-com, romantic comedy, meet cute, meet-cute, love triangle
- Romance Clicheslove at first sight, happily ever after, soulmate, true love, meant to be
- relationshipsromantic, family, flirting, closeness, romance
- romancelove story, amor, love, boyfriend, courting
friend zonemutual attraction
Shared romantic or physical draw
dating · love match · going steady · courtship · relationship
friend zonelover
Romantic intimate
boyfriend · girlfriend · romantic partner · significant other · paramour
friend, zone, friendly, friendship, unfriendly, friends, friendliness, befriend, befriending