History Main / RejectedMarriageProposal

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing2019'' (the CGI remake of the 1994 film) includes a similar scene to "The Madness of King Scar" sequence, though without the song, in which Scar asks Sarabi rather than Nala to become his queen. It's indicated that Scar has been attracted to her for years, but she [[AllLoveIsUnrequited chose his brother Mufasa]]; Scar also believes that with [[OneHundredPerCentAdorationRating Sarabi]] at his side, the rest of the pride will respect him more. Sarabi refuses, prompting Scar to decree that the lionesses will eat after the hyenas from now on "and they don't leave much behind".

* ''Film/SleepingOnFloors'': While road-tripping through Los Vegas, Anthony proposes to his girlfriend Cleo. They're been together for years (HighSchoolSweethearts) and they always said they'd get married someday. And yet, when he actually proposes... her reaction is MyGodYouAreSerious. It's not a good sign. At the end of the movie they mutually decide to break up, realizing that they have no future together.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'':

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Blood Fever", Vorik comes down with a sudden bout of ''[[MateOrDie pon farr]]'' and spontaneously proposes to B'Elanna, declaring ''koon-ut so'lik''. Unsurprisingly, B'Elanna turns him down, but he's [[CantTakeNoForAnAnswer mentally in no shape to take "no" for an answer]], and things rapidly spiral out of control.

* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Gendry proposes to Arya after he's legitimized by Daenerys, as they're [[SuddenlySuitableSuitor now of the same social standing]]. However, although Arya has feelings for Gendry, she refuses to marry him because she doesn't want to be a lord's wife and she's [[RebelliousPrincess ill-suited]] to the lifestyle. Gendry is understandably upset but doesn't hold it against her, and Arya gets to live her life the way she wants.

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Upon visiting Kate after she's awaken from coma, Anthony proposes to her, but she rejects it, thinking he does it out of obligation. [[spoiler:Later in the near-end, when he sincerely [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove confesses his true feelings]] for her, she eventually accepts it.]]

* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIV'': Part of Rosella and Edgar's [[ZigZaggedTrope game of pinball]] when it comes to StandardHeroReward. Lolotte tried to invoke this and a cross of AndNowYouMustMarryMe when it came to marrying Rosella (disguised as a peasant) to her hunchbacked "son" Edgar. Turns out Edgar was GoodAllAlong and helped Rosella escape due to IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy. After Lolotte was killed, her rival Genesta restored Edgar to his true form of a [[SuddenlySuitableSuitor handsome fairy prince.]] Edgar offered ''himself'' as StandardHeroReward for Rosella, but she had to turn him down ("Sorry, Eddie. Gotta get the magic fruit to my sick dad...") ''Wisely,'' when they meet again in the seventh game, he merely asks for a proper courtship. Both the FanSequel and the Telltale Games version sow that TheyDo.

-->'''Patty''': Hell, no, [[IncompatibleOrientation I like girls!]]

* In ''[[Literature/AnneOfGreenGables Anne of the Island]],'' Anne fending off [[UnwantedHarem unwanted proposals]] is very nearly a RunningGag, with more than five occurring over the course of the novel. Including one by proxy, in which a good friend of hers proposes on behalf of her ''brother.'' However, the one that tugs at the heartstrings is the one from Gilbert Blythe, Anne's former mortal enemy and current close friend, who has been in love with her since they met. The book devotes an entire chapter to this, entitled "Gilbert Speaks," and it's a heartbreaking scene of him trying to get the words out, while she desperately tries to cut him off so he can't because she doesn't want to have to reject him. He does, and she does, and it irrevocably alters their friendship. To make it worse, at the end of the novel, Anne not only realizes she's made a mistake when her dream guy proposes and she can't stand the thought of accepting, but that she's been UnknowinglyInLove with Gilbert for ''years'' and he's [[spoiler: dying of typhoid fever, meaning she may lose him forever without him knowing how she feels.]]

* In ''[[Literature/AnneOfGreenGables Anne of the Island]],'' Anne fending off [[UnwantedHarem unwanted proposals]] is very nearly a RunningGag, with more than five occurring over the course of the novel. Including one by proxy, in which a good friend of hers proposes on behalf of her ''brother.'' However, the one that tugs at the heartstrings is the one from Gilbert Blythe, Anne's former mortal enemy and current close friend, who has been in love with her since they met. The book devotes an entire chapter to this, entitled "Gilbert Speaks," and it's a heartbreaking scene of him trying to get the words out, while she desperately tries to cut him off so he can't because she doesn't want to have to reject him. He does, and she does, and it irrevocably alters their friendship. To make it worse, at the end of the novel, Anne not only realizes she's made a mistake when her dream guy proposes and she can't stand the thought of accepting, but that she's been UnknowinglyInLove with Gilbert for ''years'' and he's [[spoiler: dying of typhoid fever.]]

* ''Film/SaveTheDate'': Kevin suddenly springs a romantic marriage proposal onto Sarah, which she rejects wordlessly after staring at him in shock.

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Upon visiting Kate after she's awaken from coma, Anthony proposes to her, but she rejects, thinking he does it out of obligation. Later in the near-end, when he finally [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove confesses his true feelings]] for her, she eventually accepts it.

* In ''Series/{{CSINY}}'', Lindsay Monroe rejects the marriage proposal of Danny Messer when she is pregnant with their daughter Lucy as she feels he only proposed to her because he considered it his [[GiveTheBabyAFather "duty"]] instead of genuine love. [[spoiler:Right before she goes on maternity leave, he proposes to her again - and this time, she accepts.]]

* in 2010, a man tried to propose to his girlfriend during halftime at a Houston Rockets [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] game. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrfKVghueA She rather emphatically said no]] in front of around 20,000 people. The Rockets mascot, Clutch the Bear, then escorted him back into the stands, and swiped another fan's beer to give to him on the way out.

* in 2010, a man tried to propose to his girlfriend during halftime at a Houston Rockets UsefulNotes/{{NBA}} game. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrfKVghueA She rather emphatically said no]] in front of around 20,000 people. The Rockets mascot, Clutch the Bear, then escorted him back into the stands, and swiped another fan's beer to give to him on the way out.

It can definitely be TruthInTelevision and is likely [[OlderThanDirt as old as the institution of marriage itself]]. Compare RunawayFiance, where someone flees an ArrangedMarriage before the big day, and RunawayBride, in which the bride or groom calls it off ''on'' the day of the wedding. Compare and contrast AccidentalProposal, in which someone mistakenly believes another character is asking them to marry them. Can be related to CommitmentIssues and DifferingPrioritiesBreakup. It's a common outcome to AndNowYouMustMarryMe. See also ChildMarriageVeto, in which a character refuses a marriage proposal set up for them by their parents.

* ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'': If you choose to propose to one of the Tamagotchis you meet with Tamagotchi On, there's a 50/50 chance this will happen. Generally they're more willing to reject if their friendship level isn't high enough.

* In ''ComicBook/DoctorDoom2019'', Victor proposes to Fruzsina within five minutes of meeting her. She replies that she would never even consider marrying him.