Meanings
- humorousidiomaticIndicates that a question is embarrassing by pretending to be posing the question on behalf of another person.
“Oh, please, like we'd ever believe that whole 'I'm asking for a friend' routine.”
2015, Belle Payton, Even the Score, page 702 more examples
How many more of these #debates do we have to suffer through? Asking for a friend. — Eva Amurri Martino (@TheHappilyEva)
2016 October 9, “Celebrities React to Presidential Town Hall Debate 2016”, in Just Jared"So what really is "in the shooting motion" rule?!?!?" James wrote on Twitter. "Asking for a friend @OfficialNBARefs."
2018, "Lakers survive Ball's gaffe to beat Thunder in OT". — LeBron James (@KingJames)
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 帮朋友问一下
- 帮朋友问一下 (bāng péngyǒu wèn yīxià)phrase to indicate embarrassing question pretending it to be on behalf on another person
Finnish kaverin puolesta kyselen
- kaverin puolesta kyselenphrase to indicate embarrassing question pretending it to be on behalf on another person
French c'est pour un ami
- c'est pour un amiphrase to indicate embarrassing question pretending it to be on behalf on another person
Cite this entry
asking for a friend. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asking%20for%20a%20friend
“asking for a friend.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asking%20for%20a%20friend. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “asking for a friend,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asking%20for%20a%20friend.
Source: asking for a friend on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.