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to friend zone
01
to place someone in a category of friendship only, ignoring their romantic interest
Slang
Grammatical Information
Composition
Simple
Action verb
Regular
Present tense
friend zone
3rd person singular
friend zones
Present participle
friend zoning
Past simple
friend zoned
Past participle
friend zoned
What does "to friend zone" mean in dating slang?
The phrase "to friend zone" means to place someone in a non-romantic category, treating them only as a friend despite their romantic interest. The structure uses "friend zone" as a metaphorical boundary where romantic potential is rejected or avoided. It is commonly used when one person's feelings are not reciprocated and the relationship remains strictly platonic.
Examples
He friend-zoned her after months of dating attempts.
