unrequited

adjective

un·​re·​quit·​ed ˌən-ri-ˈkwī-təd How to pronounce unrequited (audio)
: not requited : not reciprocated or returned in kind
unrequited love

Examples of unrequited in a Sentence

a song about unrequited love
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This album was written about a period of unrequited love in my life. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025 When you’re done with Nicholas Sparks and ABBA, start with Wong Kar-wai’s masterpiece of unrequited love, the story of two people (Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung) who can’t act on their undeniable chemistry. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2025 The heartfelt song dives into themes of unrequited love, longing, and emotional vulnerability. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2025 The movie also circles around themes of loss, betrayal, unrequited love, and loneliness — but it can easily be missed among the profuse amount of tinsel and blinking Christmas lights. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for unrequited 

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unrequited was in 1556

Dictionary Entries Near unrequited

Cite this Entry

“Unrequited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unrequited. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!