incel
Americannoun
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.
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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