‘Aw’ is the ultimate way to friendzone – but how do you let someone down gently?

‘For the last couple of days, I just feel myself gravitating towards you,’ said Keenan, with a grin on his face.

Did Sophie swoon? Did she jump into his arms? Sadly not.

‘Awwww that’s really cute!’ she replied. And the nation collectively cringed behind their cushions.

Even Keenan knew that ‘aw’ wasn’t a good response – and Twitter backed him up.

‘A woman repeatedly saying “awww”, when you tell her you like her is not the BEST sign,” wrote one user.

‘Keenan, just enjoy your holiday lad,’ said another. Ouch.

It’s lovely to hear that someone thinks you’re great, but if the feeling isn’t mutual, it can get awkward.

When we asked people for their own experiences, they shared equally cringe-worthy encounters.

‘A friend told me he loved me, and all I could say was thank you,’ came one response. ‘I just looked at him with utter confusion and walked away,’ said another.

But, it turns out there are ways to gently place someone in the friendzone – without uttering the dreaded ‘aw’.

Psychologist, Emma Kenny, says: ‘Sophie was caught off guard, but ‘aw’ wasn’t the best response. It came across as a little patronising.

‘It’s better to be clear, kind but direct. Something like, “I really appreciate that, thank you, but I don’t feel the same and I don’t want to take this any further.”‘

Even though that can feel cruel, it’s the best course of action.

‘No one likes letting anyone down, but it’s far kinder,’ says Emma. ‘This way, the person knows where they stand, and doesn’t get caught up in hope.’

And it’s important not to pretend that there’s a possibility of something more.

‘Don’t say you need to get to know them better, or you’re not sure or it’s not the right time. Those blurry boundaries mean that the person is still hanging on, and won’t reduce their efforts.’

And even if you feel bad, there’s no need to apologise.

‘You don’t have to be sorry that you don’t happen to believe that someone is the person for you.

‘They’re the one that decided to let you know their feelings – you don’t have to feel bad for not reflecting them.

‘But just make sure you’re not cruel. You don’t need to say, “Oh my god, no way” – even if that’s true. They don’t need a list as to why you’d never consider them as a partner!”

And the most important thing? You don’t need to give them a reason.

‘You don’t owe an explanation,’ says Emma. ‘You just have to be kind, clear and direct.

‘The truth is, it’s going to sting, but they’ll be fine in the long term.’

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