sweetened the pot
Increased the incentive
Sweetened the pot is the past tense of sweeten the pot, meaning to make an offer or deal more attractive by adding something of value.
The expression comes from poker, where players add money or chips to the pot to increase the stakes and entice others to stay in the hand.
In general use, it describes any attempt to make a proposition more appealing: The company sweetened the pot with a signing bonus when I hesitated about the job offer.
- antePre-deal poker payment
- stakeSharpened post or share
- prizeReward for winning
- bonusReward beyond expectation
- upped the anteRaised the stakes
bargaining · negotiating table · make an offer · raise · inducement · counteroffer · leverage · benefit · concession · wager · perk · reward · enticement · carrot · compromise · jackpot · deal · deal breaker
sweetened the potplayed hardball
Competed without mercy
poisoned the well · strong-armed · put the screws on · coerced · drew a line in the sand
sweeten, sweet, sweetly, sweetness, sweeter, sweetest, sweetener