carrot-and-stick

adjective

car·​rot-and-stick ˌker-ət-ᵊn-ˈstik 

ˌka-rət-

: characterized by the use of both reward and punishment to induce cooperation

carrot-and-stick foreign policy

the carrot-and-stick style of sales management

Examples of carrot-and-stick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So in his opinion, a carrot-and-stick approach is needed—give farmers cash, but use legislation to force the rest of the supply chain to fall in line. —Jessica Rawnsley, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2024

What seems to work best is a carrot-and-stick approach—creating positive reasons to take a bus or to cycle rather than just making driving harder. —Andrew Kersley, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024

But all of those potential costs are outweighed by the need to avoid a devastating two-front war. FROM BAD TO WORSE Israel has long believed that its military strength and carrot-and-stick diplomacy could deter Hamas. —James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2023

President Joe Biden's administration insisted that its carrot-and-stick approach of expanding legal routes while imposing more punitive measures on those who enter illegally is working. —Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2023

Monday at the Texas Capitol illustrated the carrot-and-stick approach from the Legislature toward public education this legislative session. —Edward McKinley, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

from the traditional alternatives of driving a donkey on by either holding out a carrot or whipping it with a stick

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above