Ionizing radiation (IR) is the main modality for locoregional control of unresectable gastric cancer (GC). [6]-Gingerol is an active major phenolic compound isolated from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), and it has been demonstrated to possess antitumor activity in previous studies. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the potential activity of [6]-gingerol as a radiosensitizer and to further explore the underlying mechanism. A CCK-8 assay revealed that [6]-gingerol inhibited the cell viability of HGC-27 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Colony formation assay indicated that pretreatment of [6]-gingerol prior to IR decreased the clonogenic survival of HGC-27 cells. Notably, the combination of [6]-gingerol with IR enhanced IR-induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase compared with IR alone (41.3% in IR alone vs. 53.5% in [6]-gingerol+IR; P=0.006), and increased IR-induced apoptosis compared with IR alone (9.6% in IR alone group vs. 15.1% in [6]-gingerol+IR; P=0.07). DAPI staining detected the apoptotic nuclear morphological changes in the cells treated with [6]-gingerol and/or IR. Furthermore, western blotting and qRT-PCR revealed that [6]-gingerol pretreatment following IR downregulated the protein expression of cyclin B1, cyclin A2, CDC2 and cyclin D1, upregulated the mRNA expression of p27, and induced active caspase-9, active caspase-3 and cytochrome c. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that [6]-gingerol enhanced radiosensitivity of GC cells, and that the mechanisms involved at least G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis induction.