disincentive
Americannoun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of disincentive
Explanation
A disincentive makes you not want to do something. The possibility of getting an expensive ticket is one disincentive for speeding on the highway. Use the noun disincentive to mean something that discourages you from taking some action, instead of motivating you to try the way an incentive does. A library fine is a disincentive from keeping books for too long, and the fear that you'll be rejected is a disincentive from applying to a competitive college. The Latin prefix dis is key here: it means either "a lack of" or "do the opposite of."
Vocabulary lists containing disincentive
This Week in Words: May 28 - June 1, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Inheritance Games
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Big Thirst
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In postwar America, the 40-hour week became the norm for millions of workers, with overtime pay acting as a disincentive for employers to require longer hours.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025
"That would hit us and would be a massive disincentive to save."
From BBC • Oct. 28, 2024
“We’re trying to take something that they view as kind of a thorn in their side and use it as a disincentive for the kind of behavior we’re seeing,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024
These factors create a massive financial disincentive to actually solve our planetary crisis.
From Salon • Jun. 3, 2024
The intended restricted uses of early writing provided a positive disincentive for devising less ambiguous writing systems.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
