growing apart
/ˈɡroʊɪŋ əˈpɑːrt/
Very CommonWhen two people gradually lose connection without a specific fight or reason.
The passive voice is the whole point. Nobody chose this. It just happened. Can feel peaceful or quietly devastating depending on the relationship.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | nobody did anything wrong. we just grew apart and that's the saddest part. | The friendship ending was not anyone's fault, which makes it harder to process. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 02 | i checked her instagram and realized we had completely grown apart without even noticing | The person discovered how much had changed by seeing their friend's life from a distance. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | growing apart is natural but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt | Normal does not mean painless. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | we used to talk every day and now i don't even know her new boyfriend's name. we grew apart. | The gap in their lives is now total, illustrated by a concrete detail. | tiktok, 2024 |
Use it when
- A friendship faded without any specific incident.
- Two people changed and no longer fit each other's lives.
- Someone is reflecting on a friendship that quietly ended.
- Life changes like moving, new jobs, or different priorities pulled two people apart.
Do not use it when
- There was a specific betrayal or falling out.Use “friend divorce” instead.
- Someone was actively cut off.Use “cut off” instead.
Growing apart vs bestie breakup
growing apart
Growing apart is gradual and passive. Nobody chose it.
VS
bestie-breakup
Bestie breakup implies a more defined ending point and sharper grief.
Origin and context
Long-established English phrase that gained renewed visibility online as people began normalizing friendship grief and life transitions on platforms like TikTok.
- First seen
- pre-2000s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/growing-apartUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0