carrot and stick

Idioms  

1. Reward and punishment used as persuasive measures, as in Management dangled the carrot of a possible raise before strikers, but at the same time waved the stick of losing their pension benefits. This term alludes to enticing a horse or donkey to move by dangling a carrot before it and, either alternately or at the same time, urging it forward by beating it with a stick. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Officials and foreign policy observers agree that Trump deftly used a mix of carrot and stick -- publicly and privately, and especially with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- to get the deal done.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

Graft in Russia functions as both a carrot and stick.

From Seattle Times • May 23, 2024

The government had presented its immigration bill as both a carrot and stick.

From New York Times • Dec. 11, 2023

But he's likely to use some carrot and stick.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2023

He predicted the pairing of carrot and stick “will lead to a substantial decline in irregular migration by Venezuelans.”

From Washington Times • Oct. 19, 2022