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include

verb

in·​clude in-ˈklüd How to pronounce include (audio)
included; including

transitive verb

1
: to take in or comprise as a part of a whole or group
The price of dinner includes dessert.
He doesn't want to be included in the project.
2
: to contain between or within
two sides and the included angle
3
: to shut up : enclose
includable adjective
or includible
Choose the Right Synonym for include

include, comprehend, embrace, involve mean to contain within as part of the whole.

include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole.

the price of dinner includes dessert

comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition.

his system comprehends all history

embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole.

her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs

involve suggests inclusion by virtue of the nature of the whole, whether by being its natural or inevitable consequence.

the new job involves a lot of detail

Examples of include in a Sentence

The speakers will include several experts on the subject. The price of dinner includes dessert. Admission to the museum is included in the tour package. The results came in too late for us to include them in the study.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Notre Dame has beaten Stanford twice in a row and five times in their last six meetings, including a 49-7 win at home last season to take a 24-14 lead in the all-time series. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025 Duke’s resume includes defeats against UConn, Illinois and Tulane. Matt Baker, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2025 His approach applies to a wide variety of cases, including brittle solids, liquid drops, and exploding bubbles. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 29 Nov. 2025 In its wake, Diana was stripped of many royal privileges and grew distrustful of those closest to her, including her private secretary, Patrick Jephson. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for include

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin includere, from in- + claudere to close — more at close entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of include was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Include.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/include. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

include

verb
in·​clude in-ˈklüd How to pronounce include (audio)
included; including
: to take in or have as part of a whole or group
the recipe included many ingredients
includable adjective
or includible

More from Merriam-Webster on include

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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