Do you remember the first time you got rejected when you asked someone out? Like most of our readers, we do as well — and it’s definitely no fairytale. However, some of us have had the misfortune of being rejected in such harsh ways that it’s definitely something worth sharing with others on the internet. Some of these rejections are so brutal that they might scare you from ever asking anyone out on a date. If you’re ready and prepared to see just how insensitive people can get, let’s dig in:
A really, really big cookie
Let’s face it, we can all relate to just wanting to enjoy a delicious cookie instead of talking to someone. After all, it’s a cookie. It’s guaranteed that you’re going to have a good time. With people, you never know. What’s more, sometimes you’re just not in the mood to socialize. We love how subtle she’s being in rejecting the guy. It’s obvious that she’s not interested, and it would be pretty evident to anyone that she would have preferred to have been left alone. It’s better than being rude or being blunt, though.
The worst way to dump someone
Anyone with any sense of decency would know that you have to be very careful when breaking up with someone, especially if you’ve been going steady for a while. Even if the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, it can be traumatic for the other person. However, in the case of this unfortunate gentleman, it’s quite obvious that his girlfriend basically used him until her childhood friend, Mark, moved back to their town. We’ll never understand how people can be so insensitive. We can’t imagine what it must have been to him.
Really not into freckles
It’s totally understandable to go out on a date with someone and realize you’re not all that into ‘em. If this ever happens to you, the polite thing to do is to just tell them you’re not interested without going into great detail about what exactly it is about them that turned you off. What you don’t want to do is follow this guy’s route and literally tell them you’re not attracted to them anymore because they have more freckles than you thought. We don’t even know her, but we still feel sorry.
I love you, just not in public
Teenagers are much more conscious of how their decisions are perceived by their peers, which is why we see rejections such as this one happening so frequently. What’s more, it must have been sad to him because like most guys, he was probably really looking forward to letting his friends know who he’d been dating. While this may have come as a bummer to him then, we’re sure he must have realized as he matured what a huge bullet he’d dodged here. Why date someone if you’re embarrassed to be seen with them?
Teenagers can be really cruel
We don’t have to tell you just how cruel teenagers can be. Anyone who wasn’t the most popular person in school knows just how rough things can get. What makes this rejection so harsh, however, is that she even got the mother involved. If we’re being honest, this looks worse on the mother than the daughter because as the adult, she should have known better. An experience like this would be incredibly hurtful for most adults, so our heart goes out to how she must have felt then.
Was it a love triangle?
What makes this rejection so harsh is just how casually the girl said she was serious with someone else. It’s the type of thing that most people would be extremely careful about when letting their friend know, but she said it like she was ordering pizza or something. What’s more, the way she said it makes it sound as if she didn’t even think that would hurt the guy. Honestly, there’s so much wrong here that we’d never get done talking about this rejection.
A girl I wish was my sister
We’ve all heard about guys getting friendzoned, so it’s always fun to see it happening to women as well. If we’re being honest, we can totally see why she thought they were dating, though. Why else would he take her to all these intimate events and functions? Also, he apparently never even gave a hint about how he just wanted them to be friends. No wonder this woman was so desperate to get this rejection off her chest. We’re cringing just imagining how it must have felt hearing that. You really can never tell.
Just regular friends, not best friends
It’s really common for people to end up in arguments because one person thought the relationship was more serious than how the other person felt. However, this is something you typically read about in romantic relationships. That’s why this rejection really stood out. Really, their “friend” could have just told them they were busy instead of being so mean and blunt in pointing out how they weren’t that close. To be honest, we think she did her a favor, because it’s obvious she would have been a terrible friend.
Just not rich enough
While a lot of people might consider rejecting someone on the basis of their income a very supercifical thing to do, we get it. It indeed is an extremely superficial way of judging someone, but it’s better to reject someone than to string them along. However, if this is why you’re rejecting someone, there’s no need to tell them you’re doing so because they’re broke. In rejecting this guy, she made it evident how she perceived him as not having any prospects. It really doesn’t get any more brutal than that.
She got a date before her boyfriend
As adults, we’ve all looked back on the things we’ve done as teenagers and cringed at what terrible human beings we were. It’s not something we had control over then, because we just didn’t know any better. For example, no adult would go about teasing someone they knew had feelings for them the way she did. By the looks of it, it sounds like both her and the boyfriend set out to make fun of as many of their classmates as they could by pulling this prank, so maybe they deserve each other.
It’s all about the timing
Breakups stink, and there’s nothing you can do to avoid hurting the person you’re about to dump. However, you can make it a little easier on them by being thoughtful in the reasons you give and also breaking it to them when the time is right. After all, no one wants to be told they’ve been dumped five minutes after being fired from their job. Or in this person’s case, twenty minutes before their not-so-surprise party. At least she had an excuse to drink her pain away, though.
A little too honest, perhaps?
Dating is all about communication, and communication is all about honesty. That’s why, we always encourage our readers to communicate more honestly to their partners. It’s important to remember that being blunt is not the same thing as being honest, though. In this instance, the woman could have just let him know that she wasn’t interested anymore because she’d changed her mind. Her behavior made it obvious it was due to his looks, and we’re sure it must have felt like a punch in the gut.
The idea was better than the reality
One thing that a lot of people don’t understand about attraction is that we often fall for the idea of being with someone rather than the person itself. While this concept might be a little tricky to understand, we’re sure it’s something a lot of you can relate to. In the case of this rejection, it’s obvious that the guy had been using the idea of dating her as an escape from his life. As soon as he actually got to date her, he realized it’s not what he wanted. That’s dating for you.
He was living an alternate life
This rejection is an extreme case of how you can never really know everything about the person you’re dating. He wasn’t just having an affair the whole time, he was engaged to another woman; and even in the process of buying a home with her. To make matters worse, he literally purchased the same house he claimed he was interested in getting with her. We’re amazed by how someone could hold so many secrets and leave the other person so oblivious to what was going on. We have so many questions here.
Speed dating gone off the rails
Speed-dating is an incredibly nerve-wrecking process. After all, you’re basically putting yourself in a situation where a lot of people will reject you at the same time. It can be a lot more fun though if you’re with friends or if you’re with other singles from your area. By the looks of it, this guy ended up going to the most poorly organized speed dating event ever. He was literally the only guy there, and all fourteen of the women there rejected him. We can’t help but feel sorry for him.
I wish all girls were like you
Dating can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very confusing. A lot of people struggle with figuring out whether the person they’re interested in likes us just as a friend or as something more. For this woman, it’s something that’s happened not once, but for much of her dating life. Her most extreme rejection was when a guy she was into started talking about how he wished more women were like her. Well, here’s an idea: why not just date her?
It didn’t mean anything
It’s totally normal for people in relationships to have close friends. However, this is also one of the most common reasons for jealousy in relationships. To make matters worse, people who are likely to cheat on their partner often use this as an excuse to justify their behaviour. In the case of this girl’s relationship, it was immediately evident to us that there was something going on between him and his friend. Perhaps she can take solace in the fact that he dumped her for his soulmate rather than a fling?
The eye rolls said it all
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t talk to individuals they find attractive is because they’re afraid of being rejected in a brutal manner. While everyone knows that it’s something you have to learn to live with, it can still feel like a punch in the gut. Take this guy’s story, for example. He gathered up the courage to go talk to her and they simply rolled their eyes. The only good thing about this is that he immediately understood they weren’t interested and left them alone instead of making things worse.
Softening the blow or avoiding the subject?
This rejection is really interesting. We can’t decide whether her partner was just trying to soften the blow or he was trying to intentionally mislead her so she would be even more hurt by the breakup. What is clear though, is that this is a terrible way to break up with somebody. What we find truly puzzling is that there was no indication from the guy’s side on what was in store for her. The poor woman was probably expecting a candlelight dinner and got dumped instead.
His beloved secret band
What makes musicians so attractive? Is it their musical talents, or the idea of being involved with someone so mysterious and creative that makes them fascinating? While there’s lots of different theories on this, what’s clear is that you also don’t want to get on their wrong side. Otherwise, you might end up getting brutally rejected like this woman. She was dumped for not being cool with his “secret band.” Being honest, that sounds more like an affair than a band but hey, it’s not like we were the ones who were dumped.
Apparently they had no talent
We find this rejection a little hard to believe because universities and companies send out a standardized email to candidates that have not been selected. If the admissions office from Johns Hopkins actually went out of their way to point out how they had no talent, this got to be the most brutal rejection in this list. What that implies is that their application was so bad that it stood out from potentially thousands of others that they also rejected. That being said, it’s really unprofessional how they pointed it out so bluntly.
It doesn’t get any worse
Our heart goes out to this woman, because it sounds like her day turned out to be a nightmare. First, she found out that her mother had only a couple of years to live. Next, her boyfriend dumped her for being “too upset” over her mother’s diagnosis. What’s more, she ended up totalling her car when she went to talk to him. To make matters worse, instead of helping her with the accident, he drove all the way there to tell her not to talk to her. How can people be so insensitive?
The most childish way to reject someone
We get it, rejection can be hard. On the one hand, you don’t want to be too rude, but you also don’t want to be pestered by someone who just won’t take no for an answer. While there’s lots of different ways in which you can turn them down without being too rude, what you don’t want to do is turn into a child and simply turn your chair the other way ‘round till the guy leaves. We can’t even imagine how embarrassing this must have been for her friends. It’s hilarious, honestly.
A not-so-subtle hint
Some people start sleeping in separate rooms from their partner before breaking up. Others start packing up or making long-term plans that don’t involve the partner. This woman’s partner decided to take things to the next level, though. He literally bought a house without letting them know. It really doesn’t get any more obvious than that, does it? Let’s not even get started on how weird it must have been discussing this matter with him. We wouldn’t be amazed if this was the final nail in the coffin of their relationship.
Really wonky teeth
It’s never a good idea to tell someone you’re not attracted to just what exactly it is about them that turns you off. What’s more, it’s a bad idea if you’re out drinking with them. This woman’s date made it quite obvious that he really wasn’t into her because of her teeth before offering to buy another round. Instead of simply telling her that he wasn’t interested, he just got up and left the bar. She eventually found out that he left the bartender. Ouch! The rejection did inspire her to get braces, though.
All because he needed space
Breakups can be intensely painful on their own, but when you throw other responsibilities in the mix, things can get overwhelming. Take this college student, for example, who got dumped by her boyfriend during the early hours of her 21st birthday. To make matters worse, she had two other presentations that day and was asked to pack her bags by the end of the day. No wonder she was crying all day, all the while having to pack up and move back in with her parents when she should have been out celebrating.
At least he footed half the bill
It can often get tricky judging whether someone is interested in you or not. However, if they tell you they’re leaving you mid-date because they have to meet this other person they’ve been talking to, you should take the hint. It’s exactly what happened to this woman, and we can’t imagine how confused she must have been when he mentioned this. Was it just sarcasm or was he being honest? On the bright side, at least he had the decency to cover half the bill. Nothing like a well-mannered rejection.
Why was he bragging?
It’s one thing to get intimate with your crush at a party, but finding out that’s also made you the talk of the town is a whole ‘nother beast that most people don’t know how to handle. Because he was bragging about it, she thought it meant he actually liked her and decided to take things further by asking him out on a date. Instead of saying no, he simply deleted her message so basically, it was like it never happened. What’s going on here? We’re just as confused as she must have been.
They disliked us both equally
If you’ve ever been in a fight in school or seen your classmates get in one, you know how it’s basically a popularity contest. Popular students are often cheered on while the unpopular ones are condemned to boos and jeers. When this person got into a fight, things took a different turn though, because everyone disliked both of them equally. On the plus side, it’s better than being booed because you’re more disliked than the other person. We’re sure this is one story they’ll never get tired of sharing at dinners.
The first taste of rejection
When people think of rejections, they often think of the ones that come from partners and potential partners. While we can see why, we think the most painful rejections often come from friends and family, especially in childhood. Just take a look at this woman’s anecdote, for instance. How would you feel if the person that was your best friend when you were eight years-old did this to you? No wonder she cried her eyes out on her way back home and still remembers just how much it hurt.
Looks like she dodged a bullet there
While rejections hurt a lot, they’re not necessarily a bad thing. If someone rejects you in an unnecessarily harsh manner, you’ve dodged a bullet there. For instance, this woman got turned down by a guy who’d asked her out just because his friend didn’t think she was attractive enough. Most people would just make up an excuse and cancel the date, but this guy literally told her how it was because his friend didn’t approve. Judging by just how callous people can be, it’s no wonder we’re all afraid of rejection.
Nobody likes you
Experts who’ve studied psychology say that our fear of rejection often comes from the first experiences we had asking others out. If the other person made fun of you, it’s likely that you’ll have a lot more trouble asking people out when you grow up. Judging by just how mean this person’s crush was, however, we don’t need a psychologist to tell her why this must have been so bad. What do you even say in a situation like this? To make matters worse, everyone around them laughed. Gosh, people can be so mean.
Because my mom won’t let me
Asking our crush out for prom was perhaps the most nerve-wracking moment of our high school years, and we’re sure many can relate to this. If you were rejected, chances are you still remember every minute detail of when it happened. Now, we’ve seen a lot of harsh rejections, but the way this girl’s crush used his mother as an excuse to turn her down is just too much. What’s more, he said that immediately, which made it obvious that he just wasn’t interested in her. That’s got to be rough.
She laughed at him for three minutes
We can totally understand how it might seem hilarious if someone you find utterly unattractive or “beneath” you somehow asked you out. What you really do not do, however, is laugh at them for at least three minutes. Just how bizarre is that? She might have gotten her point across that after the first ten seconds but after that, it’s just weird. Legend has it that you can still hear her laughing at him to this day. Why not just say no and leave them with their dignity like a normal person?
A bit short for her tastes
If you’ve ever read posts about online dating, you’ve probably seen the stereotype about really short women turning down guys with above-average heights. We thought this was something that happened in jokes on internet forums until we read this. Isn’t it just crazy? If dating tall guys is your thing, do your thing, but we’ll never understand how people can be so rude and insensitive. She didn’t even try and be polite in framing her rejection. If we’re being honest, we think he dodged a bullet there with this woman.
Couldn’t handle her grades
What would you do if you found out your partner got the job you’ve been dying to get? Or, if they get better grades than you during your exams? While our more rational-minded friends might tell us we should be grateful to be with someone smarter than us, you don’t have to be a psychologist to see why this can create some conflicting feelings. One thing you really don’t want to do, however, is break up with them like this woman’s ex-boyfriend. If he was this petty, she was definitely better off without him.
An interesting plot twist
This girl thought her ripped-up love notes were safe from her classmates, only to find out the next day that her crush’s BFF had taped them together and showed them to everyone. Most people would be extremely embarrassed by this, but she decided to own up to it and even asked him out. This did not turn out well for her because he literally looked her up and down before rudely rejecting her. What’s really interesting here is that she’s been married for quite some time to the BFF that taped her notes together.
Oh my god no
If there’s one thing that’s obvious from the different ways people have been rejected in this list, it’s that rejecting someone is as difficult as asking someone out. A lot of people feel like they’ve been put on the spot and end up responding involuntarily in a way that might seem rude to the other person. Take this story, for instance, where the girl was so perplexed by being asked out that her response was to say, “Oh my god no.” As far as rejections go, that’s certainly very rude.
Ate the fudge and her feelings away
Even people who don’t believe in Valentine’s Day understand how significant that day is for couples. What’s more, it’s common knowledge that you’re going to end up looking real bad if you break up with your partner on that day. Now, technically, this girl’s boyfriend didn’t break up with her. He simply ghosted her, which if we’re being honest, is worse. At least she had that delicious fudge around, though, to help her eat her feelings away. No one should have to put up with something like this.
