inclusion

American  

[in-kloo-zhuhn] / ɪnˈklu ʒən /

noun

1. the act of including.

2. the state of being included.

3. something that is included.

4. the practice or policy of including and integrating all people and groups in activities, organizations, political processes, etc., especially those who are disadvantaged, have suffered discrimination, or are living with disabilities: Our company is committed to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

   Political and civic inclusion is vital to a sustainable democracy.

   Our company is committed to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

5. the educational policy of placing students with physical or mental disabilities in regular classrooms and providing them with certain accommodations.

6. Biology. a body suspended in the cytoplasm, as a granule.

7. Mineralogy. a solid body or a body of gas or liquid enclosed within the mass of a mineral.

8. Petrography. xenolith.

9. Logic, Mathematics. the relationship between two sets when the second is a subset of the first.

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inclusion British  

/ ɪnˈkluːʒən /

noun

1. the act of including or the state of being included

2. something included

3. geology a solid fragment, liquid globule, or pocket of gas enclosed in a mineral or rock

4. maths

   1.  X⊆Y.  the relation between two sets that obtains when all the members of the first are members of the second

   2.  X⊂Y.  the relation that obtains between two sets when the first includes the second but not vice versa

5. engineering a foreign particle in a metal, such as a particle of metal oxide

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Other Word Forms

• noninclusion
  noun
• preinclusion
  noun
• reinclusion
  noun

Etymology

Origin of inclusion

First recorded in 1590–1600; inclusion def. 9 was first recorded in 1945–50; from Latin inclūsiōn- (stem of inclūsiō ) “a shutting in,” equivalent to inclūs(us) ( see incluse) + -iōn- noun suffix ( see -ion)

Explanation

Inclusion is the act of including someone in something, like a school, club, or team. If you are familiar with the word include — meaning to make someone or something a part of something larger — then inclusion should make sense. You might be happy at your inclusion on the school's volleyball team. The inclusion of an actor in a movie is exciting. When there's a new President, people wait and see who will earn inclusion in the cabinet. In biology, an inclusion body is a very small body found within another on the cellular level.

Example Sentences

S&P Dow Jones Indices has also proposed shortening its wait for S&P 500 inclusion to six months from 12 months.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said Paton had "served with distinction for 16 years" and will be remembered for his "selflessness, amazing sense of humour, extreme kindness and inclusion of all".

From BBC • May 22, 2026

She said the inclusion of the journalist in the chat was a “mistake.”

From Salon • May 22, 2026

“We can never understand inclusion unless we’ve been excluded.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Instead of going out for inclusion classes, I shook my head and told Catherine I didn’t want to go.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

• admittance
• formation
• incorporation
• involvement