forbidden word(s): DEIAB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging)

diversity n. Diversity of opinions makes for an interesting discussion: difference, variance, diversification, divergence; variety, assortment.
Ant. likeness, similarity, sameness.

from – Family Word Finder: Reader’s Digest. The Reader’s Digest Association, 1975.

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equity n. 1 The Supreme Court must judge each case with complete equity: impartiality, fair-mindedness, fairness, justice, evenhandedness, reasonableness; fair dealings, justice. 2 The family has over $10,000 equity in the house: assets over liabilities, assets after mortgage, cash value; (loosely) cash, value, profit, assets, investment.
Ant. 1 unfairness, partiality, bias, prejudice, unreasonableness; injustice

from – Family Word Finder: Reader’s Digest. The Reader’s Digest Association, 1975.

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inclusion n.

1. the act of including.
2. the state of being included.
3. something that is included.
4. the practice or policy of including and integrating all people and groups in activities, organizations, political processes, etc., especially those who are disadvantaged, have suffered discrimination, or are living with disabilities: Our company is committed to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

   Political and civic inclusion is vital to a sustainable democracy.

   Our company is committed to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

5. the educational policy of placing students with physical or mental disabilities in regular classrooms and providing them with certain accommodations.
6. Biology. a body suspended in the cytoplasm, as a granule.
7. Mineralogy. a solid body or a body of gas or liquid enclosed within the mass of a mineral.
8. Petrography. xenolith.
9. Logic, Mathematics. the relationship between two sets when the second is a subset of the first.
    

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025d). In Dictionary.com.

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accessibility n.

1. the quality of being easy to approach, reach, enter, speak with, use, or understand:
   Transportation in boats, land vehicles, and eventually aircraft dramatically increased the accessibility of most locations on the planet.
   What is most immediately noticeable about the music is its accessibility.
2. the quality of being usable, reachable, obtainable, etc.:
   The closeness and accessibility of the moon allow us to operate there in a way that is not possible with other space destinations.
   The Open Access policy establishes the company’s expectations relating to the public accessibility of data from research done by staff members or outside contractors.
3. the quality of being suitable or adapted for use by people with disabilities:
   Undoubtedly, tourism and travel revenues will come to depend more and more on adequate accessibility as the number of senior and disabled visitors grows in the coming decades.
    

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025d). In Dictionary.com.

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belonging n.

1. something that belongs.
2. belongings, possessions; goods; personal effects.
    

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025d). In Dictionary.com.

Also, see forbidden word – belong.

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DEIAB – Diversity, EQuity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging

• Diversity is the range of human differences, encompassing the characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, the following characteristics: race, ethnicity, culture, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, religious beliefs, work sector, physical ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, physical appearance, and cognitive differences.
• Equity is the fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, achieved by intentional focus on their disparate needs, conditions and abilities.
• Inclusion is the intentional, proactive, and continuing efforts and practices in which all members respect, support, and value others.
• Accessibility is the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them.
• Belonging is the secure feeling of being valued within and making valuable contributions to a team.

from — Defining DEIAB | Ohio University. (n.d.). 

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example sentences: DEIAB

DEIAB, meaning diversity, equity, inclusion, access & belonging, provides a wealth of obvious benefits to a company, as well as a selection of hidden benefits that emerge over time as company culture begins to shift to a more equitable and fair interpretation than was previously established.

The point of the diversity action plan is rooting out unfair bias and prejudices; failing to acknowledge these deep underlying issues can lead to a DEIAB plan that doesn’t make the impact you’d hoped for.

from — Global Services. (2023, May 15). Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Belonging (DEIAB). 

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (DEIAB) reflects a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of music to bridge divides and foster community.

from — Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging: NAFME Equity Resource Center – NAFME. (n.d.). NAfME. 

May 1, 2025
Hudson Valley, New York

This is one of the words you can’t say in the new Trump Administration. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.

image: heart © Holly Troy 2025