friend zone

The situation in which one is viewed by a potential partner as a platonic friend, which complicates the initiation of a romantic relationship.

Noun

The situation in which one is viewed by a potential partner as a platonic friend, which complicates the initiation of a romantic relationship.
- Every platonic friend I got is some woman I was tryin' to fuck, I made a wrong turn somewhere, and ended up in the friend zone. - 1996, Chris Rock: Bring the Pain, Chris Rock (actor):
- Once in a while, you will find yourself stuck in the friend zone. Don't panic, you are not alone. - 2005, Terry Dennis, The Manual:
- “Stuck in the Friend Zone,” said Sasha wisely, although I don't think she's dipped a toe in the Friend Zone in her life. - 2007, Helen Salter, Does Snogging Count as Exercise?:

Popularized in a 1994 episode of the American sitcom Friends.

To classify (someone) as a friend, without any possibility of a romantic relationship.
- The bloke tries to get her attention back, but I've friendzoned him. Poor guy. I do feel bad for the ones who have to try so hard. - 2015, Wendy Higgins, chapter 1, in Sweet Temptation, HarperCollins, →ISBN:
- While being friendzoned is not a problem, what can be a problem is if it's not clear to both people that ONLY friendship and nothing more is on offer. - 2019, Ira Trivedi, Sachin Bhatia, chapter 1, in The Desi Guide to...