gel

1 of 2

noun

ˈjel 

plural gels

1

: a colloid in a more solid form than a sol

broadly : jelly sense 2

2

: a thin colored transparent sheet used over a stage light to color it

3

: a gelatinous preparation: such as

a

: hair gel

b

: hand gel

gel

2 of 2

verb

gelled; gelling

intransitive verb

1

: to change into or take on the form of a gel : set

2

: jell sense 1

transitive verb

: to style with hair gel

gelled his hair back

gelable

ˈje-lə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms of gel

Verb

• freeze
• stiffen
• jelly
• jell
• coagulate
• gelatinize
• clump
• congeal
• clot

Examples of gel in a Sentence

Verb

The mixture will gel as it cools.

Our plans are finally starting to gel.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Getting testosterone from a pill or gel shuts off the body’s natural process for making the hormone. — Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 July 2026

If a man truly is low, treatment usually means taking testosterone through a gel, a patch or an injection. — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Verb

Here, her natural hair was styled in a sleek, avant-garde aesthetic that gelled her front layer in a sharp wave over her forehead. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 July 2026

Its remaining five songs seem to appear at random, never gelling into a cohesive force or threading a narrative. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

gelatin

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gel

• gel electrophoresis
• gel ice
• gel permeation chromatography
• hair gel
• hand gel
• shower gel
• silica gel

Rhymes for gel

• bel
• belle
• cel
• cell
• dell
• dwell
• el
• ell
• fel
• fell
• gell
• jell

Kids Definition

gel

1 of 2 noun

ˈjel 

: a solid jellylike colloid (as gelatin dessert)

gel

2 of 2 verb

gelled; gelling

: to change into or take on the form of a gel

Medical Definition

gel

1 of 2 noun

ˈjel 

: a colloid in a more solid form than a sol

gel

2 of 2 intransitive verb

gelled; gelling

: to change into or take on the form of a gel

gelable

ˈjel-ə-bəl 

adjective