Incorporate
/ɪnˈkɔːrpəreɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Incorporate means to bring something into something else so that it becomes part of it. It often means mixing ideas, parts, or things together to form a single unit or system. For example, you can incorporate new ideas into a plan or incorporate ingredients into a recipe.
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See It in Action
To include or mix parts into a whole
- •The recipe says to incorporate the eggs into the batter slowly.
- •The designer incorporated bright colors into the new fashion line.
- •You should incorporate feedback from your teacher into your essay.
To form a legal company or organization
- •They decided to incorporate their business to protect their personal assets.
- •The startup incorporated last year and now has many employees.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "incorporate" like "add," but more complete—it's not just putting something next to another, but making it part of the whole.
- ✓Picture mixing ingredients in a bowl until they become one smooth dough.
- ✓It feels like when you join a team and become a real member, not just a visitor.
- ✓Sounds like "in-CORE-po-rate" → imagine putting something right in the "core" (center) to make it part of the heart of something.
- ✓Think of a company that incorporates smaller businesses into itself to grow bigger.
- ✓NOT like "attach" (which can be separate or easy to remove)—"incorporate" means it becomes a true part of the whole.
- ✓NOT like "combine" (which can be loose mixing)—"incorporate" often means blending fully so parts work as one.
Try Other Words
- •Include: to make something part of a group or whole (Use when you want to say something is part of a list or group, but not necessarily fully mixed)
- •Combine: to put two or more things together (Use when things are mixed but may still be separate)
- •Integrate: to bring parts together so they work as one (Use when emphasizing smooth joining or working together)
- •Blend: to mix things completely (Use when talking about mixing substances or ideas smoothly)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "in-" (into) + "corpor" (body, from Latin "corpus") + "-ate" (verb ending) → literally means "to make into a body"
- •Etymology: From Latin "incorporare," meaning to form into a body or unite as one
- •Historical development: Used from the 15th century to describe forming a body or group, later used in law for creating companies
- •Modern usage: Common in business, law, cooking, and general language to mean joining parts to make a whole
Reflect & Connect
•How can incorporating different ideas improve a project or plan you have worked on?
•In what ways does incorporating new habits into daily life help personal growth?
Fill in the blanks
1.To make the cake smooth, you need to incorporate the flour ___ the wet ingredients slowly and carefully.
2.When writing an essay, it is important to incorporate ___ from different sources to support your ideas.
3.A company decides to incorporate to ___ legal protection and separate its owners from business debts.
4.Unlike just adding, to incorporate means the new part becomes ___ of the whole system.
5.The teacher asked us to incorporate ___ feedback into our final presentation to improve it.
6.When you incorporate many small parts, they work together as ___, not just separate pieces.
7.To successfully incorporate new technology, a business must change its ___ and processes.