Unfriends

To remove someone from your list of friends or contacts on a social networking website or application. This action signifies the end of a digital friendship, severing the online connection and often limiting access to their profile, posts, and shared content. The motivation behind unfriending varies greatly, encompassing factors such as disagreements, differing values, neglect of the online relationship, or simply a desire to curate one's online social circle. The implications range from mild annoyance to significant personal hurt depending on the nature of the previous relationship.

Unfriends meaning with examples

• After a heated political debate on Facebook, Sarah decided to **unfriend** her cousin. She felt their views were irreconcilable and the arguments were becoming too frequent. She believed it was necessary for her mental peace. This move left a brief awkwardness but gave her a better online experience. Her cousin didn't seem to care about the unfriending, probably because they both had differing viewpoints.
• John chose to **unfriend** his ex-girlfriend on Instagram. He felt that seeing her posts and updates hindered his ability to move on from their breakup. Her presence had become a painful reminder of the past. Though it felt like an admittance of loss, it helped him start to move forward with his life. He knew the reasons, she knew the reasons.
• Realizing he hadn't interacted with several online contacts in months, Mark decided to **unfriend** a large portion of his Facebook friends. It was part of a digital decluttering initiative to create a streamlined newsfeed of people. He felt it freed up space for interactions that were meaningful. He didn't consider it a personal action, but more of a social media strategy. He said he needed some peace and quiet.
• Jessica was deeply hurt when her best friend **unfriended** her on Twitter without explanation. The sudden action left her confused and hurt. This caused much interpersonal angst in their relationship. She couldn't understand the sudden severing of their online connection and immediately wanted to question her friend, making her feel sad and ignored. Eventually, she came to accept it after finding out the reasons.