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Meaning & use

an incorporation

noun·Academicformalbusinesslaw

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UK/ən ɪnˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃən/
US/ən ɪnˌkɔːrpəˈreɪʃən/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablebusinesslaw

    A company that has been legally formed as a corporation.

    Grammar: Countable when it means one specific company: 'an incorporation', 'several incorporations'.

    Patterns

    • an incorporation of something
    • form an incorporation

    They set up an incorporation in Delaware to protect their personal assets.

    An incorporation must follow the rules of the state where it is registered.

    He advised them to turn their partnership into an incorporation.

  2. noununcountablebusinesslaw

    The act of legally making a business into a corporation.

    Grammar: Uncountable when talking about the process: 'Incorporation takes time and money.'

    Patterns

    • articles of incorporation
    • incorporation of a company

    The incorporation of the company took three months.

    Articles of incorporation are filed with the state government.

    Incorporation can limit the owners' personal liability.

  3. noununcountableformal

    The act of including something as part of a larger whole.

    Grammar: Uncountable in this general sense; often followed by 'of'.

    Patterns

    • the incorporation of something into something

    The incorporation of local traditions into the design was praised.

    The incorporation of new technology into classrooms has been slow.

    Her essay discusses the incorporation of foreign words into English.

Word forms

pluralincorporations

Common combinations

articles of incorporation
The lawyer prepared the articles of incorporation for the new business.
incorporation of a company
The incorporation of a company requires several legal steps.
the incorporation of something into something
The incorporation of feedback into the final report improved it.

Synonyms and how they differ

company
A general word for a business; 'incorporation' specifically means a company that has been legally formed as a corporation.
inclusion
Close in the general sense of adding something, but 'inclusion' is more common for people or items in a group.

Word family

incorporate verb
To include something as part of a whole, or to form a company legally.
incorporated adjective
Used after a company name to show it is a corporation, often written 'Inc.'

Commonly confused: an incorporation or corporation?

an incorporation vs corporation

A corporation is the company itself; incorporation is the act or process of forming it.

Practice

What does 'an incorporation' usually mean in a business context?

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