Include but Not Limited To (Meaning, Use, Examples)

What does “include but not limited to” mean? It’s not uncommon to use popular idioms and phrases while speaking and writing common American English. But what does the phrase “include but not limited to” mean?

Learn everything you need to know in this short American English grammar guide.

What does “include but not limited to” mean?

The phrase “include but not limited to” is typically followed by a list of items that are associated with an idea. The phrase helps the reader understand that the list of objects, words, nouns, or other references is only a small part of the entire concept.

For example, we might say, “Included by not limited to are apples, oranges, and pears.” In the sentence, the phrase helps us understand that there could be other types of fruits not listed.

How to use “include by not limited to”

While the phrase is commonly associated with legal language, specifically contracts, the language can get used in an informal manner, too. To use the phrase, simply start a sentence with the phrase and then include the list of items that are getting referenced.

Examples of use in a sentence

Here are sentence examples showing “included by not limited to” in a sentence:

• Included by not limited to are the ideas that apples, oranges, and pears are all round fruit objects that we can eat.
• Her hobbies are (included by not limited to) basketball, baseball, and soccer.

Proper use and punctuation

Proper use of the phrase is typically at the beginning of a sentence or a list. There isn’t any additional punctuation required to be part of this list, in contrast to Latin abbreviations like “eg” or “etc.” Both of which contain periods and commas in their grammatically correct use.

Can “included by not limited to” get used outside of legal language?

It very often is used in informal language. It’s used to convey the idea that something “is the following and more.” Meaning, the initial list of items or objects getting referenced provides the context. And the remainder of the items not listed is intended for the reader to suppose and provide either mentally or physically.