gel

1 of 2

noun

plural gels
1
: a colloid in a more solid form than a sol
broadly : jelly sense 2
2
: a thin colored transparent sheet used over a stage light to color it
3
: a gelatinous preparation: such as
a
b

gel

2 of 2

verb

gelled; gelling

intransitive verb

1
: to change into or take on the form of a gel : set
2
gelable adjective

Examples of gel in a Sentence

Verb The mixture will gel as it cools. Our plans are finally starting to gel.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Generally, the skin condition is manageable and treatable with topical creams, ointments, or gels. Amanda Gardner, Health, 4 Mar. 2024 One of the gels in the light had overheated and there was an actual flame and fire. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 The search for something more effective than the former and less drastic than the latter has produced a possible third option: injectable gel. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 Discovering irregularities in images — typically of experiments involving mice, gels or blots — has become a larger priority of scientific journals’ work. Evan Bush, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 The gel cleanser comes in a tube, which can dispense a little too much product at once, when just a few drops are enough. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 13 Feb. 2024 Pink Agave lets women in their 20s and 30s reminisce on childhood with white coasters that can be decorated with gel pens, and a playlist full of music from the aughts and early 2010s. Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2024 Hydrogels are a unique gel-type comprising a three-dimensional network of hydrophilic polymer chains. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The gel, which recently went through a small Phase 1 clinical trial with encouraging results, is inserted into the sperm duct, physically blocking sperm from coming out. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
If the thought of a daunting workout—whether that’s an hour-long spin class, a five-mile run, or a hot yoga session—is enough to keep you hiding under the covers, make things less intimidating by planning for shorter workouts that actually gel with your schedule. Alexa Tucker, SELF, 10 Jan. 2024 Couple that core tenet with the more iconic shapes within the Batur’s bodywork, such as the wheel haunches, and a concept began to gel for Ferraresi. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2023 Their 16-3 record since Dec. 1 is the best in the league as the core unit of Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook has gelled with James Harden, who was acquired in a Nov. 1 trade with Philadelphia. George, who arrived with Leonard in 2019, and Harden are also eligible for extensions. Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 After gazing at the remaining words for a few minutes and clicking on a few to see what would gel in my brain, both the blues and purples hit me like a ton of bricks. Kris Holt, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Killers of the Flower Moon marks the first movie where Martin Scorsese unites his longtime muses Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio — but their different working styles didn't always gel. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023 Even the hair had been spritzed and gelled and fingered through to evoke a just-showered look. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 26 Jan. 2024 Vanity Oscar Party smokey eyes, retiring gelled spikes for precise blowouts, and heavy foundation for soft beats. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 10 Jan. 2024 Similar to the third teams of Lynn and McCoy, the 2023 Chargers have fulfilled the Andy Reid theory that if a coach’s program doesn’t gel in the third NFL season, the season becomes like getting hit with a baseball bat. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

gelatin

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gel was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near gel

Cite this Entry

“Gel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gel

1 of 2 noun
: a solid jellylike colloid (as gelatin dessert)

gel

2 of 2 verb
gelled; gelling
: to change into or take on the form of a gel

Medical Definition

gel

1 of 2 noun
: a colloid in a more solid form than a sol

gel

2 of 2 intransitive verb
gelled; gelling
: to change into or take on the form of a gel
gelable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gel

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