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View synonyms for incentive

incentive

[in-sen-tiv]

noun

  1. something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.



adjective

  1. inciting, as to action; stimulating; provocative.

incentive

/ ɪnˈsɛntɪv /

noun

  1. a motivating influence; stimulus

    1. an additional payment made to employees as a means of increasing production

    2. ( as modifier )

      an incentive scheme

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. serving to incite to action

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • incentively adverb
  • counterincentive noun
  • nonincentive adjective
  • preincentive noun
  • superincentive noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of incentive1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin incentīvus “provocative,” in Latin: “setting the tune,” from incent(us) “played” (past participle of incinere “to play (an instrument, tunes),” from in- in- 2 + -cinere, combining form of canere “to sing”) + -īvus -ive
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Word History and Origins

Origin of incentive1

C15: from Late Latin incentīvus (adj), from Latin: striking up, setting the tune, from incinere to sing, from in- ² + canere to sing
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Synonym Study

See motive.
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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.

The bigger problem, however, is that lenders have little incentive to guard against fraud when mortgages are ultimately guaranteed by taxpayers.

But away from the public rhetoric, strained US-India ties have given New Delhi fresh incentive to warm up to Beijing.

Read more on Barron's

Much of the costs of moving there were front-loaded when he took on the property in 2003 and there's little obvious incentive for Andrew to leave now.

Read more on BBC

At the party's annual conference in Swansea, education spokesman Cefin Campbell said a Plaid-led government would offer "competitive incentives" to keep staff in Wales, focusing on Welsh-medium teaching and subjects like maths and science.

Read more on BBC

But when S&P creates an index, the business incentive may be a little more simple.

Read more on MarketWatch

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