incentivize
in-SEN-tih-vyze
/ɪnˈsentɪvaɪz/
To provide someone with a strong reason, motive, or reward for doing something.
Implies a structured, transactional approach to motivation, usually involving external rewards like money, bonuses, privileges, or recognition.
The story behind the word. The word traces back to the Latin 'incentivus', meaning 'setting the tune' or 'inciting', from 'incantare' (to sing into or chant). In ancient times, a musician set a fast, rhythmic tune to incite soldiers or laborers to move faster. Over time, 'setting the tune' evolved into offering rewards to drive performance.
Word relationships
- motivate: Motivate can refer to both internal desires and external rewards, whereas incentivize specifically implies offering a tangible reward or benefit to drive behavior.
- induce: Induce means to persuade or influence someone to do something, sometimes through subtle pressure, whereas incentivize relies on clear, structured rewards.
- penalize: Penalize means to impose a penalty or punishment for an action, discouraging behavior rather than rewarding it.
- deter: Deter means to discourage someone from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of consequences.
Commonly confused with
- encourage: Encourage means to give support, confidence, or hope, while incentivize specifically means to offer a concrete reward or benefit.
Word family
- incentive (noun): A thing that motivates or encourages one to do something.
Collocations
- incentivize performance
- incentivize behavior
- highly incentivize
- incentivize participation
Example sentences
- "The government introduced tax credits to incentivize homeowners to install solar panels." Discussing public policy and green energy.
- "We need to structure our commission plans to incentivize long-term client retention rather than quick sales." Describing corporate performance strategies.
Memory hook
Think of an 'incentive' as a 'cent' (money) that 'entices' you to work harder. Set the tune with a reward.
When not to use
Avoid using when describing deep, emotional, or spiritual inspiration (e.g., you don't 'incentivize' someone to write a beautiful love poem or grieve a loss).
Fun facts
- The verb 'incentivize' was heavily criticized by language purists in the mid-20th century as ugly corporate jargon, but it has since become fully accepted in standard business and economic English.
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