--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An excuse is a polite rejection. Men are…" description: "\"An excuse is a polite rejection. Men are not afraid of 'ruining the friendship.\" — Greg Behrendt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e47/greg-behrendt-2271_excuse_an-excuse-is-a-polite-rejection-men-are_2925487.png" --- # An excuse is a polite rejection. Men are not afraid of… ![“An excuse is a polite rejection. Men are not afraid of 'ruining the friendship.” quote by Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e47/greg-behrendt-2271_excuse_an-excuse-is-a-polite-rejection-men-are_2925487.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e47/greg-behrendt-2271_excuse_an-excuse-is-a-polite-rejection-men-are_2925487.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e47/greg-behrendt-2271_excuse_an-excuse-is-a-polite-rejection-men-are_2925487.png) > “An excuse is a polite rejection. Men are not afraid of 'ruining the friendship.” [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often use polite excuses to avoid hurting friends, masking true feelings **In simple terms:** Polite rejections protect friendships but hide honesty Key Takeaway Balance honesty with kindness in relationships Themes communication friendship boundaries Mood thoughtful practical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - dating advice - conflict avoidance - personal boundaries Key Concepts social etiquette emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - When is a direct “no” more helpful? - How can we express rejection without damaging trust? 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She has focused on the interests of her citizens - and not just in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/angela-merkel-has-been-focused-on-the-right-things-she-has-focused-on/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Greg Behrendt > [Personally, when I'm picking friends, I like the ones who don't make me cry myself to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/personally-when-i-m-picking-friends-i-like-the-ones-who-don-t-make-me/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [So, I'm 34. I'm kind of becoming an adult - kind of, I guess. But I know that I am because, the other day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/so-i-m-34-i-m-kind-of-becoming-an-adult-kind-of-i-guess-but-i-know/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [Don’t be flattered that he misses you. He should miss you. You are deeply missable. However, he’s still the same person who just broke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/don-t-be-flattered-that-he-misses-you-he-should-miss-you-you-are/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [The best thing that can happen in a relationship is when you are the same person you were before the relationship started. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/the-best-thing-that-can-happen-in-a-relationship-is-when-you-are-the/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [The reason it's so painful when someone disappears is you have to face the fact that the person you loved had probably left you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/the-reason-it-s-so-painful-when-someone-disappears-is-you-have-to/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [Cheaters are people who have a lot of stuff to work out, and they're working it out on your time and with your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/cheaters-are-people-who-have-a-lot-of-stuff-to-work-out-and-they-re/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [Two people in a relationship either grow together or apart over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/two-people-in-a-relationship-either-grow-together-or-apart-over-time/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [I do think that you can dress yourself out of a problem. 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Because if he likes you, trust me, he will ask you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/he-s-just-not-that-into-you-if-he-s-not-asking-you-out-because-if-he/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [Lying, cheating, hiding is the exact opposite of the behavior of a man who's really into you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/lying-cheating-hiding-is-the-exact-opposite-of-the-behavior-of-a-man/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [big plans require big action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/big-plans-require-big-action/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [I've never tried to pass myself off as anything more than a comedian who wrote a dating book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/i-ve-never-tried-to-pass-myself-off-as-anything-more-than-a-comedian/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [People are inspired to do remarkable things to find and be with the one they love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/people-are-inspired-to-do-remarkable-things-to-find-and-be-with-the/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) [Explore all 175 Greg Behrendt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) ## More Excuse quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Dont leave without a reason, and then try to come back with an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-leave-without-a-reason-and-then-try-to-come-back-with-an-excuse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Worst Break Up Excuse; 'You deserve so much better.' Translation: They've already moved on whether you like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worst-break-up-excuse-you-deserve-so-much-better-translation-they-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Live with No Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyanendra/live-with-no-excuse/) [Gyanendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyanendra/) Browse all 2,435 Excuse quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An excuse is a polite rejection. 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