Home › Words › U › unfriendunfriend/ˈʌnfɹɛnd/unfriend means one who is not a friend; an enemy.unfriend is pronounced /ˈʌnfɹɛnd/.EtymologyFrom Middle English unfreend, onfrend, equivalent to un- (noun/adjective prefix) + friend. Cognate with Scots unfrend (“unfriend”). Compare Old English unfriþmann, unwine.nounOne who is not a friend; an enemy.e.g.“It is even as I suspected, my lord, […] Ye have back-friends, my lord, that is, unfriends—or, to be plain, enemies—about the person of the Prince.” — 1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in The Fortunes of Nigel. […], volume II (in English), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and verbTo sever as friends.e.g.“"I hope, sir, that we are not mutually Unfriended by this Difference which hath happened betwixt us."” — 1659, Thomas Fuller, The Appeal of Injured Innocence:To defriend; to remove from one's friends list (e.g. on a social networking website).e.g.“"I asked her why, she said it was because I didn't comment, and I shrugged and said whatever. I didn't unfriend her."” — 2007, Mia Consalvo, Caroline Haythornthwaite, Internet Research Annual: Volume 4:Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.defriend 81% match — To remove from one's list of friends (e.g. on a social networking website). vs unfriend →unfellow 70% match — To dissever, to cause to come apart (literal or figurative use) vs unfriend →unfriendship 70% match — unfriendliness; enmity vs unfriend →unfriended 69% match — Having no friends; friendless. vs unfriend →unfriendlily 68% match — In an unfriendly manner. vs unfriend →unfellowship 65% match — To remove from fellowship; excommunicate. vs unfriend →unaffiliate 64% match — To discontinue one's affiliation with an organisation. vs unfriend →unbefriendable 63% match — Unable to be befriended. vs unfriend →