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Showing results for "incel"
SEE ALSO:
Slang dictionary results for incel.

incel

American  
[in-sel] / ˈɪnˌsɛl /

noun

  1. a member of an online subculture of men who want to have sex but are unable to find sexual partners, typically blaming women or hating people who are sexually successful (often used attributively).

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, contemplation and discussion of suicide features prominently on incel forums.


Etymology

Origin of incel

First recorded in 1990–95; earlier INVCEL, short for involuntarily celibate


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He rose to fame as a “looksmaxxer,” which is a spin-off of the larger incel community.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

Earlier this month, Peters walked out of an interview with “60 Minutes Australia” after being asked whether he identifies with the incel community.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

He has also participated in men’s organizations that, unfortunately, strike the wrong note with Mr. McCarthy, who believes they are associated with incel culture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

"There is a spectrum to looksmaxxing," explains Anda Solea, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth who has been studying how easily incel culture can seep into society.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026

"It's quite easy to make a version of that story where he's a sort of toxic incel male conspiracy theorist nut who you don't really sympathize with," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026

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