disincentive
Reason to avoid
A disincentive is something that discourages a particular action or behavior—the opposite of an incentive.
High taxes on cigarettes serve as a disincentive to smoking.
The word often appears in policy discussions: The penalty acts as a disincentive to fraud.
To disincentivize is to discourage through such measures.
Punishment for wrongdoing
- fineAcceptable in quality
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- feePayment for service
- surchargeExtra fee added
tariff · tax · levy · toll · charge · cost · punishment · forfeiture
Thing that discourages action
- deterrencePrevention via threatened consequences
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- dissuasionConvincing someone not to
- warningAlert about danger
barrier · obstacle · impediment · roadblock · stumbling block · hindrance · check · prevention
Limiting condition or rule
- limitationBound on extent
- restrictionLimit on action
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- controlAuthority to direct
curb · cap · brake · restraint · stricture · inhibition · containment · suppression
penalty
Punishment for wrongdoing
surcharge · tariff · tax · levy · toll · charge · cost · punishment · forfeiture · assessment
deterrent
Thing that discourages action
- deterrencePrevention via threatened consequences
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- dissuasionConvincing someone not to
warning · barrier · obstacle · impediment · roadblock · stumbling block · hindrance · check · prevention · prohibition
constraint
Limiting condition or rule
- limitationBound on extent
- restrictionLimit on action
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
control · curb · cap · brake · restraint · stricture · inhibition · containment · suppression · dampening
- deterrentsguard dog, warning, security camera, penalty, padlock
- Troublesproblem, trouble, issue, setback, snag
- discouragementdiscouragement, dejection, defeatism, disappointment, letdown
disincentiveincentive
Reward encouraging action
encouragement · inducement · motivator · motivation · spur
disincentives, disincentivize, disincentivizes, disincentivized, disincentivizing