incent
Offer a carrot
Incent is a back-formation from incentive, used as a verb meaning to provide someone with a motivation or reward for doing something.
It appears mainly in business contexts: We need to incent employees to meet their targets.
Many consider incent unnecessary jargon since incentivize already exists, and some find it grating, but it persists in corporate speech as a shorter alternative.
Cause to act
- inspireStir to action
- encourageUrge forward with support
- driveOperate a vehicle
- energizeSupply with vitality
galvanize · spur · propel · push · activate · stimulate · animate · invigorate
Reward beyond expectation
- commissionPayment for services rendered
- payoutMoney distributed to recipient
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- remunerationPayment for work done
dividend · bounty · prize · gratuity · tip · honorarium · scholarship · perquisite
motivate
Cause to act
energize · galvanize · spur · propel · push · activate · stimulate · animate · invigorate · empower
bonus
Reward beyond expectation
- commissionPayment for services rendered
- payoutMoney distributed to recipient
- compensationPayment for services rendered
remuneration · dividend · bounty · prize · gratuity · tip · honorarium · scholarship · perquisite · benefit
lure
Thing that tempts
bait · induce · persuade · coax · woo · allure · appeal · draw · invite · beckon
trigger
What initiates action
goad · spur · prompt · jumpstart · kickstart · jolt · nudge · push · provocation · instigation
incentdiscourage
Diminish someone's confidence
disincentivize · disincentivise · deter · dissuade · penalize
- retirement incentivesRewards for leaving early
- tax incentiveGovernment break encouraging behavior
- incentive planRewards tied to performance
- financial incentiveMoney offered to motivate
- incentive payCompensation tied to performance
- incentive programStructured rewards motivating behavior