Incel definition: what "Incel" means and examples

February 9, 2026

An abbreviation for "Involuntary Celibate," referring to a member of an online subculture of people who feel unable to find romantic or sexual partners.

This is a deeply complex and often troubled online community. While it started as a support group for people who were lonely, it has evolved into a subculture that can harbour resentment toward women (foids) and "successful" men (sigmas/alphas). If your child is using this word, it is important to check if they are using it as a self-label or as a joke. The "incel" worldview often revolves around "blackpill" philosophy, which suggests that a person's success in life is entirely determined by genetics and looks, leading to a very fatalistic and negative outlook.

Examples:

  1. "He's spending too much time on those incel forums; it’s making him really bitter."
  2. "Don't call yourself an incel just because you haven't got a girlfriend yet."
  3. "The news was talking about the dangers of incel radicalisation."

We've compiled this dictionary of common teen slang to help parents communicate with their kids. SafetyMode is the world's most advanced parental safety app for phones, making any Android phone safe for kids. You can find out more and download the app just here.

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