in ‧ cen ‧ tive AC /ɪnˈsentɪv/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: incentivum , from Latin incinere 'to set the tune' , from canere 'to sing' ]
something that encourages you to work harder, start a new activity etc ⇨ motivation :
As an added incentive, there’s a bottle of champagne for the best team.
create/provide/give somebody an incentive
Awards provide an incentive for young people to improve their skills.
incentive to do something
Farmers lack any incentive to manage their land organically.
economic/financial/tax etc incentives
a recycling drive backed with financial incentives
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have an incentive
Companies have an incentive to maximize efficiency.
▪ give/offer somebody an incentive
If you want people to change their behaviour, it's a good idea to offer them some kind of incentive.
▪ provide somebody with an incentive
Good teachers provide their students with incentives to learn.
▪ create an incentive
We need to create an incentive for people to recycle their rubbish.
▪ act as an incentive (=be an incentive)
The chance of promotion acts as an incentive for many employees.
■ adjectives
▪ a strong/powerful incentive
The possibility of acquiring wealth acts as a strong incentive in many people's lives.
▪ a significant incentive
The high financial rewards provide a significant incentive.
▪ a greater incentive
The scheme gives industry a greater incentive to tackle pollution.
▪ the main incentive
What is the main incentive for people to join the army?
▪ an extra/added incentive
The cash prize gives contestants an added incentive to do well.
▪ economic/financial incentives (=money that is offered to someone as an incentive)
Doctors are encouraged through financial incentives to work in poor areas.
■ NOUN + incentive
▪ cash incentives
The scheme gives farmers cash incentives to manage the countryside for wildlife.
▪ tax incentives (=a reduction in tax, offered to people as an incentive)
Tax incentives are provided for employees to buy shares in their own companies.
▪ price incentives (=lower prices, offered to people as an incentive)
The strong December sales were attributed to attractive price incentives.
■ incentive + NOUN
▪ an incentive scheme/system
The incentive scheme was introduced to encourage companies to use renewable energy sources.
■ phrases
▪ have little/no incentive to do something
Poor farmers have little incentive to grow crops for export.