What does "panel" mean?
A (usually) rectangular section of a surface, or of a covering or of a wall, fence etc.
Panel
/ˈpænəl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A (usually) rectangular section of a surface, or of a covering or of a wall, fence etc.
- Grammar: panel is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: board, accessory, accordion section, administrative body.
- Useful contrasts: bare, batten, disband.
- Usage evidence: We understand that the Woody Panel retails for $80.
How to use "panel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "panel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "panel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "panel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "panel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "panel" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "board" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "panel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A (usually) rectangular section of a surface, or of a covering or of a wall, fence etc.
"Behind the picture was a panel on the wall."
- 2 electrical device consisting of a flat insulated surface that contains switches and dials and meters for controlling other electrical devices wordnet
- 3 A (usually) rectangular section of a surface, or of a covering or of a wall, fence etc.; A sunken compartment with raised margins, moulded or otherwise, as in ceilings, wainscotings, etc.
- 4 (computer science) a small temporary window in a graphical user interface that appears in order to request information from the user; after the information has been provided the user dismisses the box with ‘okay’ or ‘cancel’ wordnet
- 5 A group of people gathered to judge, interview, discuss etc. as on a television or radio broadcast for example.
"Today’s panel includes John Smith."
Show 23 more definitions
- 6 a piece of cloth that is generally triangular or tapering; used in making garments or umbrellas or sails wordnet
- 7 A portion of text or other material within a book, newspaper, web page, etc. set apart from the main body or separated by a border.
- 8 sheet that forms a distinct (usually flat and rectangular) section or component of something wordnet
- 9 An individual frame or drawing in a comic.
"The last panel of a comic strip usually contains a punchline."
- 10 a soft pad placed under a saddle wordnet
- 11 A type of GUI widget, such as a control panel.
"admin panel"
- 12 a group of people gathered for a special purpose as to plan or discuss an issue or judge a contest etc wordnet
- 13 A document containing the names of persons summoned as jurors by the sheriff.
"To this end the sheriff returns his compulsive process , the writ of habeas corpora, or distringas , with the panel of jurors annexed, to the judge's officer in court."
- 14 (law) a group of people summoned for jury service (from whom a jury will be chosen) wordnet
- 15 The whole jury.
- 16 a committee appointed to judge a competition wordnet
- 17 A prisoner arraigned for trial at the bar of a criminal court.
"[I]t remains only to examine the Relevancy of the two general exculpatory Defences pled for the Pannells."
- 18 A piece of cloth serving as a saddle. obsolete
"A panel and wanty, packsaddle and ped, with line to fetch litter, and halters for hed"
- 19 A soft pad beneath a saddletree to prevent chafing.
- 20 A board having its edges inserted in the groove of a surrounding frame.
"the panel of a door"
- 21 One of the faces of a hewn stone.
- 22 A slab or plank of wood used instead of a canvas for painting on.
- 23 A heap of dressed ore.
- 24 One of the districts divided by pillars of extra size, into which a mine is laid off in one system of extracting coal.
- 25 A plain strip or band, as of velvet or plush, placed at intervals lengthwise on the skirt of a dress, for ornament.
- 26 A portion of a framed structure between adjacent posts or struts, as in a bridge truss.
- 27 A list of doctors who could provide limited free healthcare prior to the introduction of the NHS. British, historical
- 28 A group of tests or assays, a battery.
"This panel of tests can also help in cases where leukemia or lymphoma suddenly takes a turn for the worse (crisis) by determining if a change in the type of cells is causing the problem."
Verb
- 1 To enter (jury members) on an official list of jurors; to empanel. obsolete, transitive
- 2 select from a list wordnet
- 3 To fit (an animal, especially a mule or ass) with a panel or simple padded saddle. obsolete, transitive
"The knight […] arose, and commanded Sancho to saddle his horse and pannel his ass immediately."
- 4 decorate with panels wordnet
- 5 To fit (a room etc.) with panels. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We understand that the Woody Panel retails for $80."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "panel"?
Common synonyms include: board, accessory, accordion section, administrative body, appoint, assemble.
How do you use "panel" in a sentence?
We understand that the Woody Panel retails for $80.
How do you pronounce "panel"?
Pronounced /ˈpænəl/.
Etymology
From Middle English panel (“piece of cloth, saddle pad, pane of glass, piece of ice, part, division, jury list, jury members”), from Anglo-Norman panel, panelle (“piece of cloth, saddle cushion”), from Vulgar Latin *pannellus, diminutive of Latin pannus (“cloth, rag, garment”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂n- (“fabric”). Cognate with Old English fana (“a piece of cloth, patch, banner, flag, vane”). Doublet of vane.