unfriend

unfriend — verb

1. to stop being connected to someone on a social network by removing them from you

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to stop being connected to someone on a social network by removing them from your friends list, so the two of you can no longer see each other's private posts or send direct messages

Example

Feng unfriended his classmate after an argument about politics on Facebook.

unfriended + [person] + after [reason]

Imani decided to unfriend anyone who posted spam in her feed.

decided to unfriend + anyone who [condition]

Synonyms
  • defriend

    identical meaning but far less common; 'unfriend' is the standard term

  • unfollow

    different — unfollowing hides someone's posts but keeps the friend connection intact

  • block

    different — blocking is more severe, preventing all contact and profile visibility

Antonyms
  • friend (verb)

    to add someone as a friend on a social network

  • add

    to send or accept a friend request

Grammar Patterns

unfriend + person

Usage Note

Used only in the context of social-media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Unfriending is a two-way action — it removes the connection for both users. This is different from muting (hiding posts while staying friends) or blocking (preventing all contact and visibility).

Common Mistakes

I unfriended my manager on the phone.
I unfriended my manager on Facebook.
unfriending only applies to social-media platforms, not phone contacts or real-life relationships.
She unfriended him but he could still see her posts.
She blocked him so he could not see her posts.
unfriending removes the private connection but the other person may still see public posts; blocking is needed to prevent all visibility.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe limiting online connections, but they differ in severity and visibility. Unfriending removes the mutual connection — neither person can see the other's friends-only posts. Unfollowing (common on Instagram and Twitter) keeps the friend status intact; you simply stop seeing their posts in your feed, and they do not know. Blocking is the most severe — the blocked person cannot find your profile, send you messages, or see any content at all. Muting is the gentlest option: you remain friends, their posts are hidden from your feed, and they are never notified. For example: 'She unfriended him after the argument, so their Facebook connection was gone.' vs. 'She muted her cousin's political rants — he had no idea she was not seeing them.'

unfriend ↗unfollowblock ↗mute

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a friend
  • a colleague
  • an acquaintance
  • an ex
  • a follower
  • someone

Adverbs

Phrases

  • decide to unfriend
  • choose to unfriend
  • the option to unfriend
  • the unfriend button

Prepositions

  • unfriend on [platform]
  • unfriend from [list]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The prefix un- (meaning 'reverse' or 'remove') is attached to the verb sense of friend (to add someone as a friend on a social network). The noun unfriend existed in Middle English (from Old English unfreond) meaning 'enemy', but the modern verb was coined in the early 2000s as Facebook grew, and was named Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2009.