inclusive

American  

[in-kloo-siv] / ɪnˈklu sɪv /

adjective

1. including or encompassing the stated limit or extremes in consideration or account (usually used after the noun).

   from May to August inclusive.

2. including a great deal, or encompassing everything concerned; comprehensive.

   an inclusive art form;

   an inclusive fee.

   Synonyms:

   all-embracing, general, overall

3. enclosing; embracing.

   an inclusive fence.

4. aiming to include and integrate all people and groups in activities, organizations, political processes, etc., especially those who are disadvantaged, have suffered discrimination, or are living with disabilities.

   inclusive hiring practices;

   inclusive playgrounds.

5. relating to or being language or terminology that does not exclude a particular group of people and that avoids bias, stereotypes, etc..

   the use of singular “they” as an inclusive, gender-neutral pronoun.

6. relating to or being educational practices in which students with physical or mental disabilities are taught in regular classrooms and provided with certain accommodations.

7. Grammar. (of the first person plural) including the person or persons spoken to, as we in Shall we dance?

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idioms

1. inclusive of, including; also taking into account.

   Europe, inclusive of the British Isles, is negotiating new trade agreements.

inclusive British  

/ ɪnˈkluːsɪv /

adjective

1. considered together (with)

   capital inclusive of profit

2. (postpositive) including the limits specified

   Monday to Friday inclusive is five days

3. comprehensive

4. not excluding any particular groups of people

   an inclusive society

5. logic (of a disjunction) true if at least one of its component propositions is true Compare exclusive

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Other Word Forms

• inclusiveness
  noun
• inclusivity
  noun
• noninclusive
  adjective
• quasi-inclusive
  adjective
• superinclusive
  adjective
• uninclusive
  adjective
• inclusively
  adverb
• noninclusively
  adverb
• quasi-inclusively
  adverb
• superinclusively
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of inclusive

First recorded in 1400–50; from late Middle English, from Medieval Latin inclūsīvus, equivalent to Latin inclūs(us) + -īvus -ive ( def. ) ; see origin at incluse

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Explanation

Call something inclusive when it's designed or inclined to include. An exclusive club might let you in, but an inclusive one will ask you to join, no strings attached. Inclusive is an adjective with several meanings: It can be used to describe something that's broad or extensive, such as thorough, inclusive research project. Or it describes a group that's particularly welcoming to all kinds of people. And an inclusive range is one where the limits are included along with what lies in between: a survey of “20-40 year-olds, inclusive” tells us 20 and 40 year-olds were counted, too.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inclusive

“That ambitious Los Angeles, that joyful Los Angeles, that creative Los Angeles, that entrepreneurial Los Angeles, that inclusive Los Angeles, is the Los Angeles that this campaign was born to fight for.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

But he has vowed to create a more inclusive atmosphere inside Israel, repair its international standing and rein in violent West Bank settlers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

"But when you look at face processing through an approach that's more inclusive of the full temporal range of information, we're seeing that differences in autism occur even earlier," McPartland says.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

To remain inclusive the pub keeps a pint of ale at £4.80, equivalent to $6.35.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

It doesn’t seem to help to apply the inclusive term “biomedical” to our science, much as we would like to show that we are all one field of inquiry, share and share alike.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

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Related Words

• broad
• comprehensive

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