Incentive
Diwali bonuses, rooftop solar subsidies, and first-generation scholarships all work through the same mechanism: a reason that makes action worth it.
Learn This WordMeaning
A reason that encourages action.
Memory trick
IN-CENT-IVE: it puts cents (value) inside the action.
Examples
Subsidies create green incentives.
The company offered a Diwali bonus as an incentive to clear the backlog.
Scholarships are the strongest incentive for first-generation college applicants.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Late Latin incentivum "a provocation," from incinere "to strike up a tune." An incentive strikes the note that moves people.
Usage Notes
Policy and economics staple: incentives shape behavior without force. Name the incentive and the exact action it buys.
Real-life contexts
Use in policy: "Tax breaks act as an incentive for rooftop solar."
Use at work: "The referral incentive doubled hiring."
Use in study: "Keep the topper’s interview as your incentive."
Common Mistakes
An incentive encourages; it is not a reward already earned. "Incentivize" is corporate jargon: prefer "motivate" or "reward" in clean prose.
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Part of Speech
noun
Difficulty
intermediateMonthly Searches
~48,000
Related Words
Catalyst
Something that causes or speeds up change or action; in chemistry, a substance that increases reaction rate without being consumed.
Galvanize
To shock or excite someone into taking action; to coat iron or steel with zinc to prevent rust.
Rationale
A set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action, belief, or decision.