Definition of carrot-and-stick
: 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
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
February 2021 Words of the Day Quiz
-
- Which is a synonym of perdure?

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Spell words. Make bears.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share carrot-and-stick
Time Traveler for carrot-and-stick
The first known use of carrot-and-stick was in 1876
See more words from the same year