Meaning & use
incentivises
Last updated
“incentivises” is a form of “incentivize”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbtransitive
Third-person form of incentivise: gives people a reward or benefit so they are more likely to act in a certain way.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with a to-infinitive: it incentivises workers to save.
Patterns
- incentivises someone to do something
- incentivises something
The scheme incentivises drivers to switch to electric cars.
A bonus system incentivises staff to meet deadlines.
Lower tax on savings incentivises families to put money aside.
Word forms
| base form | incentivise |
|---|---|
| past tense | incentivised |
| -ing form | incentivising |
Common combinations
- incentivises people to
- The discount incentivises people to shop early.
- incentivises good behavior
- The app incentivises good behaviour with points.
- policy that incentivises
- It is a policy that incentivises recycling.
- financially incentivises
- The contract financially incentivises faster delivery.
Synonyms and how they differ
- motivates
- Is broader and can be inner drive, while incentivises means a reward or benefit is offered.
- rewards
- Gives something after the action, whereas incentivises means offering it beforehand to encourage the action.
- encourages
- Is softer and need not involve any payment or prize.
Opposites
Word family
- incentive noun
- something that encourages action
- incentivise verb
- the base verb
- incentivised adjective
- encouraged by rewards
- disincentive noun
- something that discourages action
Commonly confused: incentivises or incentivizes?
incentivises vs incentivizes
The same word in American spelling; use -ise or -ize consistently.
Practice
The new rule ____ shops to cut plastic bags by offering a tax break.
Choose one answer.
Offering a tax break rewards the desired behavior, which is what incentivises means. Punishes and prevents describe the opposite approach.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “incentivises”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.