If you’ve ever been in a one-sided friendship, you might have been left feeling hurt and confused. It doesn’t feel good to put the effort in when your friend doesn’t reciprocate.
Maybe your friend did not respond to your texts unless it benefitted them, or you just got tired of giving and never receiving. Either way, realizing when a friendship has become one-sided and taking space from that person is a positive way to respond.
This article is full of quotes about different types of one-sided friendships and their effects.
Sections:
- One-sided friendship
- Selfish
- Toxic
- Betrayal
- Broken friendship
- Sad friendship breakups
- Deep quotes on one-sided friendship
- Common questions
One-sided friendship quotes
It’s normal and natural to have expectations of your friends. At the very least we expect that our friends should treat us with the same love and attention that we give them, and when they don’t it can be heartbreaking. These quotes are about the disappointment of being in a one-sided friendship.
1. “There comes a time when you have to stop crossing oceans for people who wouldn’t jump a puddle for you.” —Unknown
 
2. “Everyone has their own life, but what matters is whether or not they make time for you in theirs.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
 
3. “It took me way too long to realize that you shouldn’t be friends with people who never ask how you’re doing.” —Steve Maraholi
4. “Friendship is a two-way street.” —Jillian Baker, The Odyssey
 
5. “One-sided friendships take and never truly give.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
 
6. “Friendship is an empty word if it only works one way.” —Unknown
7. “One-sided friendships can be built on foundations of loneliness, insecurity, and anxiety.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
 
8. “You can’t keep on investing in a person, getting no returns.” —Hanan Parvez, Psych Mechanics
 
9. “Being the only one to try to maintain [a] friendship sucks and is exhausting.” —Jillian Baker, The Odyssey
10. “If a friendship is off-balance, one person takes up too much space and the other person takes up too little.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
 
11. “Friendship is supposed to be a two-way street where both parties have equal rights and equal obligations” —Nato Lagidze, IdeaPod
 
12. “One-sided friendships can leave you confused and hurt.” —Crystal Raypole, Healthline
13. “Your friend says they care, but their consistent disinterest loudly suggests otherwise.” —Crystal Raypole, Healthline
 
14. “Simple things like cutting you off, blowing off what you have to say, talking over you, and so on, are all signs of a one-sided friendship.” —Sarah Regan, MBG Relationships
 
15. “These kinds of one-sided friendships can negatively impact your wellbeing because they are energy drains instead of energy sources.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
17. “When you quit texting people first, you realize who is making all the efforts.” —Unknown
 
18. “My biggest mistake ever is thinking that people actually cared for me as much as I do for them, but in reality, it’s almost always one-sided.” —Unknown
If you’re tired to be hurt by a one-sided friendship, you might like this article on how to spot it’s time to stop reaching out to a friend.
Selfish friends quotes
Being in a one-sided friendship with someone selfish can leave you drained and resentful. Hopefully, these quotes can help to inspire you to find friends who lift you up instead of weighing you down.
1. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot I only exist when you need something.” —Unknown
 
2. “Know the difference between those who stay to feed the soil, and those who come to grab the fruit.” —Unknown
 
3. “Friends are meant to support us, not drain us.” —Sarah Regan, MBG Relationships
4. “You shouldn’t always be available for someone who doesn’t even ask how you are doing.” —Rjysh
 
5. “Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings, and emotions.” —Unknown
 
6. “If one person doesn’t seem to care about the well-being of their friend, then they might as well be called a friend of convenience.” —Nato Lagidze, IdeaPod
7. “Selfish people tend to only be good to themselves… then they are surprised when they are alone.” —Unknown
 
8. “Spend your time on those who love you unconditionally. Don’t waste it on those who only love you when the conditions are right for them.” —Unknown
 
9. “Sometimes we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them.” —Unknown
10. “If a text conversation leaves you feeling frustrated and dissatisfied, it may be worth considering whether this friendship is fulfilling you or simply draining you.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
 
11. “One sad truth of life is that friendships don’t always thrive, no matter how much time, energy, and love you put into them.” —Crystal Raypole, Healthline
Toxic friendship quotes
If toxic friends surround you, it won’t take long for them to change your life for the worse. Who you spend your time with shapes your life, and affects your overall happiness. Inspire yourself to cut out these one-sided friendships with the following quotes.
1. “You can’t hang out with negative people and expect a positive life.” —Unknown
 
2. “Some friendships aren’t healthy from the beginning.” —Ashley Hudson, Ashley Hudson Coaching
 
3. “Keeping you close is some people’s way of preventing you from shining on your own.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
4. “Toxic friends don’t want what is best for you, so they’re not understanding or empathetic when you’re struggling.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
 
5. “Growing up means realizing a lot of your friends aren’t really your friends.” —Unknown
 
6. “Some of the most poisonous people come disguised as friends and family.” —Unknown
7. “If someone makes you feel drained and used, they’re not your friend.” —Sharonness
 
8. “Stop putting in an effort to those who show no effort towards you. There’s only so much you can do before you’re wasting your time and energy.” —Unknown
 
9. “You likely feel tired being around this friend because all they do is talk about themselves; they’re using up your energy, and you feel tired and exhausted.” —Sarah Regan, MBG Relationships
 
10. “The important thing to remember… is that one-sided friendships can be toxic, and once you recognize it, don’t feel guilty if you have to end it.” —Sarah Regan, MBG Relationships
Friendship betrayal quotes
Our best friends are supposed to be the people we trust to have our backs. This is why getting stabbed in the back by those closest to us is so heartbreaking. The following quotes are all about the disappointment of being betrayed by a friend.
1. “The saddest thing about betrayal is it never comes from your enemies.” —Margaret Atwood
 
2. “I didn’t lose a friend. I just realized I never had one.” —Unknown
 
3. “It’s hard to tell who has your back from who has it long enough just to stab you in it.” —Nicole Richie
4. “A betrayal in a friendship is a good opportunity to think about what qualities you wish in a friendship.” — Ashley Hudson, Ashley Hudson Coaching
 
5. “One of the most important aspects of friendship is trust and reliance.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
 
6. “Trust: it takes years to build and seconds to break.” —Unknown
7. “Forgive yourself for the blindness that let others betray you. Sometimes a good heart doesn’t see the bad.” —Unknown
 
8. “Fake friends are like shadows: always near you at your brightest moments, but nowhere to be seen at your darkest hour.” —Unknown
 
9. “Being betrayed by a friend can leave you feeling doubtful of other friendships.” —Ashley Hudson, Ashley Hudson Coaching
10. “What’s the point of having friends if you can’t trust them?” —Nato Lagidze, IdeaPod
 
11. “Be a better friend to yourself by refusing to settle for something that makes you feel any less worthy than you know you are.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
You might also like this list of quotes on true and fake loyalty between friends.
Broken friendship quotes
Losing a friend can be as hard as losing a romantic partner. Best friends can be a safe place for your heart, and losing them can feel leave us feeling lonely, even if the friendship was actually one-sided.
1. “I think I’ll miss you most of all.” —Wizard of Oz
 
2. “It takes two people to start and maintain a friendship, but only one to end it.” —Mary Duenwald, The New York Times
 
3. “Not everyone deserves to be considered a friend.” —Perri O. Blumberg, Women’s Health
4. “Friendships are not easy to maintain. They take trust and love. And nothing hurts more than losing a friend.” —Unknown
 
5. “Trying to forget someone you loved is like trying to remember someone you never knew.” —Unknown
 
6. “Somebody asked me if I knew you. A million memories flashed through my mind, I smiled and said ‘I used to.’” —Unknown
7. “The loss of a friend is like that of a limb; time may heal the anguish of the wound, but the loss cannot be repaired.” —Robert Southey
 
8. “I don’t hate you, I’m just disappointed that you turned into everything you said you’d never be.” —Unknown
 
9. “Goodbye, old friend. I was bound to see your true colors sooner or later.” —Unknown
10. “It doesn’t matter if it was a relationship or a friendship. When it ends, your heart breaks.” —Unknown
 
11. “The worst kind of pain is getting hurt by the person you explained your pain to.” —Unknown
 
12. “Fake friends show their true colors when they don’t need you anymore.” —Unknown
13. “No matter how much you want to save this friendship or how close you once were, now, after being around them, all you feel is deep exhaustion. That’s what an unbalanced friendship does to a person.” — Sharonness
 
14. “There’s this myth that friendships should last a lifetime… but sometimes it’s better that they end.” — Mary Duenwald, The New York Times
 
15. “The end of a friendship doesn’t mean one or both friends are bad people or bad friends… it simply means the relationship wasn’t working.” —Carly Breit, Time
 
16. “You’re not a bad person for walking away from something that doesn’t work for you.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
Sad quotes about friendship breakups
Losing a one-sided friend is often tough and can leave you feeling lonely and confused. If you’re currently missing the friend you thought you had, these quotes are for you.
1. “Friendships cause heartbreaks too.” — Wolftyla
 
2. “Losing a friend hurts, even when you chose to end it.” —Crystal Raypole, Healthline
 
3. “It can be one of the hardest things in the world to lose your best friend.” —Unknown
4. “The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained.” —Unknown
 
5. “It hurts to remember how close we were back then.” —Unknown
 
6. “It hurts when the person that made you feel special yesterday, makes you feel so unwanted today.” —Unknown
7. “I’m never shocked when people let me down nowadays. I just hate the fact that I put myself in a position to be put down in the first place.” —Unknown
 
8. “It’s really hard sometimes to say goodbye to a friend you love, especially if you’ve been friends for a long time.” —Lucy Smith, A Conscious Rethink
 
9. “Once you end the friendship, you’ll need to stop reaching out.” —Crystal Raypole, Healthline
 
10. “No breakup—even a nonromantic one—is easy.” —Sarah Regan, MBG Relationships
Deep one-sided friendship quotes
We all deserve to have friends that put in the effort to make us feel loved and cared for. These deep quotes about one-sided friendship can hopefully help you feel less alone.
1. “It takes both sides to build a bridge.” —Fredrik Nael
 
2. “Sometimes you have to give up on people. Not because you don’t care, but because they don’t.” —Unknown
 
3. “Sometimes the person you’d take a bullet for is the person behind the trigger.” —Taylor Swift
4. “Choose people who choose you.” —Jay Shetty
 
5. “Don’t ignore the effort of a person who tries to keep in touch, it’s not all the time someone cares.” —Unknown
 
6. “When the universe gives you a crash course in vulnerability, you will discover how crucial and life-preserving good friendship is.” —Mary Duenwald, The New York Times
7. “The older we get, the more we need our friends—and the harder it is to keep them.” —Jennifer Senior, The Atlantic
 
8. “You always see those people that have been best friends for years and years, and it seems so effortless. That is something to strive for.” —Jillian Baker, The Odyssey
Common questions:
What is a one-sided friendship?
A one-sided friendship is a friendship where one person is more invested than the other. If you are always the one to reach out, make plans or listen to your friend’s problems, it’s possible that you are in a one-sided friendship. There are different degrees of one-sidedness in friendship, perfect balance is not realistic, but good friends strive for balance.
