incel

noun

in·​cel ˈin-ˌsel 

plural incels

: a person (usually a man) who is or identifies as involuntarily celibate and typically expresses extreme resentment and hostility toward those who are sexually active

Examples of incel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An early storyline features what might be the laziest incel caricature ever committed to video. —Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026

United by their resentment of women, incels tend to see attractiveness as a straightforward function of genetics—millimeters, symmetry, skin color—and therefore out of their control. —Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026

Infighting has broken out on the right following ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviewing white supremacist incel Nick Fuentes on his podcast. —Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025

Are we meant to focus on Ally Mayfair-Richards' (Sarah Paulson) phobias being exacerbated by Hillary Clinton losing her presidential campaign; the tribe of killer clowns running suburban Michigan like the mafia; or Evan Peters' incel caricature rising to power in a local election? —James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

involuntary celibate

Note: The word incel apparently first appeared on a Usenet newsgroup in the late 1990's. See the article by Ben Zimmer, "How 'Incel' Got Hijacked," published online at Politico Magazine, May 8, 2018 (https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/05/08/intel-involuntary-celibate-movement-218324/).

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel