Inclusive vs. Include — What's the Difference?

Inclusive is an adjective describing a scope that encompasses all necessary, relevant parts or groups, especially referring to not excluding any of the parties involved. It's often used in contexts like inclusive policies, education, or environments, which aim to accommodate everyone, regardless of their background or abilities. On the other hand, include is a verb that signifies the act of making something a part of a whole. For example, including an item on a list means that item is counted as part of the list.

While inclusive emphasizes a broad, encompassing approach that aims for universal applicability and acceptance, include focuses on the action of adding or considering specific elements within a larger group or context. For instance, an inclusive event ensures that everyone can participate, while to include someone in an event simply means adding them to the list of participants.

Inclusive often carries a connotation of social awareness and equity, aiming to create spaces, policies, or practices that are welcoming and accessible to all, especially marginalized or underrepresented groups. Meanwhile, include merely denotes the action of adding or incorporating elements without necessarily implying any broader social or ethical considerations.

The usage of inclusive is crucial in discussions about diversity and accessibility, signaling a proactive effort to ensure no one is left out. In contrast, include is more functionally oriented, describing the process of adding elements to a set or collection without inherently addressing the broader implications of such actions.

Despite their differences, both terms share a conceptual link to the idea of encompassing parts within a whole. Inclusive settings or approaches seek to embrace all individuals fully, while to include something is to ensure it is part of a larger entity.