Incentive

//ɪnˈsɛntɪv// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.

    "I have no incentive to do housework right now."

  2. 2
    a positive motivational influence wordnet
  3. 3
    A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.

    "Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold."

  4. 4
    an additional payment (or other remuneration) to employees as a means of increasing output wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.

    "Competency is of all other proportions the most incentive to industry."

  2. 2
    Serving to kindle or set on fire.

    "Part incentive reed / Provide, pernicious with one touch of fire."

Synonyms

All synonyms
agitationalagitativeambitionbaitbonusbonus

Example

More examples

"We lack an incentive for pursuing the eastern market."

Etymology

From Medieval Latin incentīvus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinō (“to strike up”), from in- (“in, on”) + canō (“to sing”). The formation appears to have been influenced by incendō (“to set on fire”).

Related phrases

eco-incentivetax incentive

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.