incel
incel
Pronunciation
Here is a breakdown of the word "incel."
Phonetic Spelling and Syllabification
IPA: /ˈɪnsɛl/
in- (stressed syllable: /ˈɪn/)
/ɪ/: The short 'i' sound, as in "sit" or "pin".
/n/: The 'n' sound, as in "no" or "sun".
-cel (unstressed syllable: /sɛl/)
/s/: The 's' sound (produced by the 'c'), as in "see" or "city".
/ɛ/: The short 'e' sound, as in "bet" or "sell".
/l/: The 'l' sound, as in "let" or "call".
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: incel
Plural Noun: incels
Adjective: incel (e.g., "incel ideology," "an incel community")
Abstract Noun: inceldom (the state or condition of being an incel)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
(Literal) A person, typically a heterosexual man, who is involuntarily celibate; someone who desires a romantic and sexual relationship but is chronically unable to find a partner.
(Subcultural) A member of a specific online subculture who self-identifies as being unable to find a romantic or sexual partner. This identity is often characterized by a shared ideology of resentment, misogyny, self-pity, and hostility toward women and individuals who are perceived as sexually successful.
Synonyms:
involuntary celibate (the source term)
dateless man
lonely man
spurned suitor
Antonyms:
volcel (voluntary celibate)
partnered person
sexually active person
Casanova, player, philanderer
Chad (a slang antonym used within the subculture)
Adjective
Of, relating to, or characteristic of the incel subculture or its members.
Expressing the specific worldview, beliefs, or grievances associated with the incel community, particularly misogyny and resentment over a lack of sexual or romantic success.
Examples: "He posted an incel manifesto." "The forum was shut down for promoting incel ideology."
Synonyms:
misogynistic (often, but not exclusively)
resentful
manosphere-related
Antonyms:
philogynistic (pro-woman)
feminist
romantic
partnered
sexually successful
Examples of Use
In Newspapers and Online Publications
This is the most common context for the word, where it is used in journalistic, academic, and explanatory articles to discuss the subculture and its real-world impacts.
"A new study by researchers at Rutgers-Newark... explores the radicalization process for 'incels,' a term meaning 'involuntary celibates,' and how their online community... can lead to violence." (Rutgers University-Newark, September 2023)
"A new paper by Harvard psychology postdoc Miriam Lindner explores the rise of male 'incels,'... and their susceptibility to extremist ideologies and behaviors." (The Harvard Gazette, October 2023)
"Incels are a primarily online sub-culture community of men who forge a sense of identity around their perceived inability to form sexual or romantic relationships." (GOV.UK, May 2024)
In Books (Typically Non-Fiction)
In books, the term is used for in-depth academic or journalistic investigations into the community, its origins, and its ideology.
"The central argument of this book is that although incels are an extreme manifestation of misogyny, their problematic attitudes are not contained to the online spaces they frequent, rather they are symbolic of structural misogy1ny..." (From The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women by Lisa Sugiura)
"This thesis constitutes an overview of literary discourse within the involuntary celibate, or 'incel' forum, Incels.co, and... considers broadly the way in which literature functions within the discursive space..." (From The incel bookclub: inceldom, toxic masculinity and the literary canon by the University of Strathclyde)
In Entertainment and Media Platforms
The term and its related concepts are increasingly appearing in fictional dramas and being discussed on social media platforms.
In the fictional Netflix crime drama Adolescence, a central plot point involves a teenage boy's radicalization into misogynistic ideologies after being bullied and labeled an "incel," leading him to online "manosphere" forums.
On platforms like TikTok, the term "incel" itself is often banned or suppressed. As a result, users reference the ideology through related terms like "blackpill" or "looksmaxxing" to evade moderation while discussing the same core concepts.
In the film Don't Worry Darling (2022), the villain's motivations are revealed to be rooted in his real-world status as an "incel" who feels emasculated and resentful of successful men and independent women, leading him to create a simulated reality where he can be dominant.
In General Public Discourse
In everyday conversation, "incel" is used more broadly, often as a pejorative.
As a descriptor: "Law enforcement agencies now treat the incel movement as a legitimate domestic terror threat."
As an insult: "He's just bitter about his breakup; he's acting like a total incel."
In ideological discussions: "You can see the pipeline from lonely young men to incel ideology, which is why community and mental health resources are so important."
10 Famous Quotes Using Incel
Like a scientist who invented something that ended up being a weapon of war, I can't uninvent this word, nor restrict it to the nicer people who need it. (Alana, creator of the original "involuntary celibacy" project)
The incel rebellion has already begun! (Alek Minassian, Facebook post prior to the Toronto van attack)
We based that character on this insane man, Jordan Peterson, who is this pseudo-intellectual hero to the incel community. (Olivia Wilde, on the character "Frank" in Don't Worry Darling)
All these men who are alienated, it’s like they’re lonesome and they don’t know what to do and everyone piles abuse on them. (Jordan Peterson, Piers Morgan Uncensored)
What incels truly think and believe has been the source of consistent speculation and conjecture. (Robin Simcox, UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism)
Incels are often stereotyped in the media as young, white, right-wing men who are not in employment, education, or training. (Dr. Andrew G. Thomas, Swansea University)
The links between Trump, Vance, and figures like Tate and the virulently toxic incel community appear to be, at least in part, strategic. (David Gilbert, Wired)
Incels are considered an extremely hard-to-reach group who are cynical of the motives of academic researchers. (Swansea University, 2024 study)
The community has been labeled as an emerging domestic terrorism concern by counterterrorism authorities in Canada, the U.S.A., and the U.K.
Who, besides incels and shut-ins, wants to spend all day talking to chatbots? (Kevin Roose, New York Times)
Etymology
In simple terms, the word incel is a "portmanteau," which is a word made by blending two other words together.
The two words that were blended are:
Involuntary
Celibate
So, "incel" is just a shortened, combined version of "involuntary celibate."
First Use and Original Meaning
The most important and surprising part of this word's history is that it was created by a woman and had a positive, supportive meaning.
Who: A Canadian university student, known only by her first name, Alana.
When: Around 1997.
Why: Alana created a website called "Alana's Involuntary Celibacy Project." She identified as a "late bloomer" and felt lonely and socially awkward, finding it hard to date. She wanted to create a kind and inclusive online community where anyone—male or female, gay or straight—who felt the same way could share their experiences and support each other without feeling like a "freak."
She coined the term "invcel," which she later shortened to "incel," as a simple, neutral label for people in this shared situation. It was a term of community, not anger.
Over the years, she left the internet community she started. The term "incel" was eventually adopted by other online groups, primarily angry men. These new groups completely changed its meaning, twisting it from a supportive label for lonely people into the hostile, misogynistic ideology it is known for today. Alana has since said she is horrified by what the word has become and feels like she "invented something that ended up being a weapon."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Incel
The word "incel" is too new and specific to be part of traditional, mainstream idioms (like "raining cats and dogs"). Instead, it is at the center of its own extensive set of slang, phrases, and technical terms used within the subculture.
Here is a list of common phrases using the word, followed by idioms and phrases from the subculture.
Phrases Using the Word "Incel"
These are phrases from mainstream discourse used to describe the person or the ideology.
Incel ideology: The collection of beliefs, particularly resentment and misogyny, shared by the subculture.
Incel community / subculture: The online network of men who identify as incels.
Incel logic / mindset: A pejorative term for the specific worldview and fatalistic arguments associated with the group.
Incel-adjacent: Describing a person or idea that is not fully part of the subculture but shares some of its core beliefs, such as resentment toward women or "red pill" concepts.
To be "incel-pilled": An original phrase describing the act of someone adopting the incel ideology; a variation of "black-pilled."
Phrases and Idioms from the "Incel" Lexicon
This is the internal slang created and used by the community itself, which function as its idioms.
Taking the black pill: The core idiom of the subculture. It means to accept a fatalistic and nihilistic worldview: that a person's romantic and social success is unchangeably determined by their genetics and physical appearance ("lookism"), and that self-improvement is pointless.
The 80/20 rule: The belief that 80% of women are only attracted to the top 20% of men (who are known as "Chads").
Looksmaxxing: The process of trying to maximize one's physical attractiveness through any means possible (e.g., intense exercise, skincare, plastic surgery).
Lay Down and Rot (LDAR): An idiom for giving up completely on self-improvement and life, accepting one's fate as a social outcast.
It's over: A common refrain used to express hopelessness, meaning that a person's life is effectively over because they lack the physical traits to ever find a partner.
Phrases with a Similar (but Broader) Meaning
These are more traditional idioms and phrases that capture the feelings of loneliness or resentment associated with the term, but without the specific ideology.
Left on the shelf: An older idiom, usually applied to women, describing someone who is considered past their prime for marriage and has been overlooked.
A lone wolf: A person who prefers to be alone or is excluded from social groups; this term has also taken on a darker connotation in media.
Sour grapes: An idiom from Aesop's fables describing someone who belittles something (like relationships) simply because they cannot have it.
Always a bridesmaid, never the bride: A phrase describing a person who is always close to a milestone (like marriage) but never achieves it themselves.
Down and out: A state of being destitute, without money, prospects, or social connections.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of incel from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
