Meaning & use
inclusivity
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The deliberate practice of welcoming and valuing people who might otherwise be left out.
Grammar: Usually no plural; often used with workplace, school, community, or policy contexts.
Patterns
- promote inclusivity
- inclusivity in the workplace
- commit to inclusivity
The club improved inclusivity by adding wheelchair access.
Good inclusivity means listening before designing services.
Her speech connected inclusivity with better decisions, not slogans.
noununcountable
The quality of a space, rule, or design that avoids excluding particular groups.
Grammar: Names a property of systems or environments rather than one event.
Patterns
- design for inclusivity
- test inclusivity of a policy
- measure inclusivity
We tested the inclusivity of the new voting website.
The policy failed on inclusivity because part-time staff were ignored.
Common combinations
- diversity and inclusivity
- Diversity and inclusivity are related, but only inclusivity asks whether people feel valued.
- promote inclusivity
- The library held forums to promote inclusivity.
- culture of inclusivity
- A culture of inclusivity shows up in everyday decisions, not posters.
- inclusivity training
- The volunteer group completed inclusivity training before opening.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inclusion
- Inclusion is the everyday act or state; inclusivity is the broader value or practice behind many inclusion efforts.
- belonging
- Belonging stresses the feeling of being accepted; inclusivity stresses the actions that help create it.
- accessibility
- Accessibility focuses on removing practical barriers, while inclusivity also covers attitudes and participation.
Opposites
Word family
- inclusive adjective
- Designed or willing to include many kinds of people.
- inclusively adverb
- In a way that includes rather than shuts out.
- include verb
- To make someone or something part of a group.
Commonly confused: inclusivity or exclusivity?
inclusivity vs exclusivity
Inclusivity opens participation to more people; exclusivity limits it to a chosen few.
Practice
Which sentence uses inclusivity most precisely?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 links an access change to broader participation. Option 2 contradicts itself with only members, option 3 chooses the opposite word, and option 4 wrongly suggests access removes need.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “inclusivity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.