one sided love

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "one sided love" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to a situation in which only one person in a romantic relationship has strong feelings of love for the other person. For example, you could say, "James felt like he was in a one sided love, as his feelings for Leslie had grown much stronger than hers for him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

And having a one sided love affair.. well.. sucks.

WikiHow

The New York Times recently reported that the Richard Phillips works hanging above the bed of Chuck Bass is not a one sided love affair as the artist "admits he is addicted" to the show.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

One-sided love isn't love.

WikiHow

Bill Nye would be on one side, vivisecting love.

Vice

"I'm fascinated by Comte's clear-eyed analysis of what was wrong with modern society, which is that you've got industrial capitalism on one side and romantic love on the other.

The Guardian

Or, put differently, Friedman-loving hopeless dreamers on one side, realists on the other.

The New Yorker

Mr. Jereis and Ms. Annabi are both on trial in Federal District Court in Manhattan on corruption charges, and their largely one-sided love story has become the heart of Mr. Jereis's defense.

The New York Times

THe Oracle Of Losing Your Virginity.

Vice

"The Passion of Martin" was weird and arty — a black comedy based on an Argentine novella about an obsessive, one-sided love affair — but its confident storytelling and technical competence attracted attention in Hollywood.

The New Yorker

If you occasionally really click with someone outside of your relationship and feel a harmless crush on him or her while knowing it won't lead to anything, that's one thing, but if you feel frequently embroiled in a one-sided love affair, then you have to wonder about the real reason behind your feelings.

WikiHow

For many in Georgia, there is the bitter feeling that President Mikheil Saakashvili's assiduous courting of America has been a one-sided love affair.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "one sided love" as a compound modifier before a noun, it is grammatically preferable to include a hyphen, as in a "one-sided love story".

Common error

Avoid using "one sided love" when describing a relationship that has mutual feelings but unequal effort; in those cases, "imbalanced relationship" is more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "one sided love" functions primarily as a noun phrase where "one sided" (or "one-sided") acts as a compound adjective modifying the head noun "love". In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often serves as the direct object of a sentence or the subject of a descriptive clause.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

25%

Social Media

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "one sided love" is a widely recognized and grammatically correct expression used to describe a romantic situation lacking reciprocity. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is most prevalent in media and popular culture, often appearing in outlets like The Guardian and The New Yorker to dissect the complexities of human relationships. While "one sided love" is perfectly acceptable for general writing, more formal alternatives like unrequited love are often preferred in literary contexts. Writers should remember to use a hyphen when the phrase functions as an adjective before a noun to ensure maximum clarity and adherence to standard English conventions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unrequited love

Uses a more formal and literary term to describe affection that is not returned.

unreciprocated love

Employs a more clinical or formal verb to indicate the lack of mutual feeling.

one-way love

A more colloquial and idiomatic variation that implies a single direction of emotion.

unilateral love

Often used in more technical or analytical contexts to describe a one-sided emotional state.

non-mutual love

Directly describes the lack of mutuality without using figurative language.

unreturned affection

Focuses on the response (or lack thereof) to the feelings expressed.

lopsided love

Adds a descriptive nuance suggesting that the relationship exists but is heavily imbalanced.

single-sided romance

Refers to the narrative structure of the relationship rather than just the emotion.

unrequited passion

Swaps the noun to emphasize intensity and desire over general affection.

solitary love

A poetic variation emphasizing the isolation of the person feeling the love.

FAQs

What is the difference between "one sided love" and unrequited love?

While both refer to love that isn't returned, "unrequited love" is considered more formal and literary, whereas "one sided love" is more common in modern, casual conversation.

Should I hyphenate "one sided love"?

Yes, if it precedes a noun, you should write it as "one-sided love". If it follows a verb, the hyphen is usually omitted, such as in the sentence "Their love was one sided".

What are some synonyms for "one sided love"?

Common synonyms include "unreciprocated love", "one-way affection" and "unilateral romance".

Can "one sided love" be used in a professional context?

It is generally too informal for business settings. Instead, consider using "unilateral commitment" or simply describing the specific lack of reciprocity.