this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2026
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Work wife refers to more than just a colleague. Friend or bestie would fit, however. Work wife describes a particular type of friendship that is quite common for people working closely together who don't get romantic.
This is an argument in semantics.
Perhaps you define this relationship as platonic, but a non-zero portion of the public think it implies something else.
You can tell by the fact that straight men never have a "work husband"
Ex fucking zactly.
I'm a straight guy with a work husband?
You mean bromance?
Asked him and a few other work colleagues, but they agree work husband is accurate. Although we technically use a non-english word, work husband is the best english translation.
Maybe it's an english speaking hangup. I say this as a person who english is thier first language.
What? I've totally had work husbands.
I said straight men
I'm in the latter category. "Wife" of any kind involves close emotional connection and probably sexy times.
You can say that a work wife doesn't include sexy times, and maybe that's true for almost everyone using the term. But close emotional connection?
Friends are fine. Close friends even. But if you're relying on anyone besides your wife/spouse for close emotional connection/support, you're begging for trouble.
How did your wife become your wife in the first place? Likely your emotional connection started first, then the sexual. The same thing can happen with your "work wife". It's a risk I'm not willing to take.
Maybe none of this is true for people using the term, maybe they just mean a good friend at work who they click with and can therefore get a lot of work done efficiently together. Ok good, great even, but I recommend using a different word to describe it, because "work wife" implies something else to most people.
Or at least that's how I feel about all that 🤷♂️
You’re right. I’ve seen people who use this term eventually have an affair more than not. I think people taking offense have a work spouse and know they have these feelings.
Spouse implies sex. We aren’t being a way to assume these things.
Don’t get romantic (usually, but would if they could) fixed it for you ;).