incentivize

verb

in·​cen·​tiv·​ize in-ˈsen-tə-ˌvīz 

incentivized; incentivizing

transitive verb

: to provide with an incentive

would incentivize employees with stock options

Examples of incentivize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No federal legislation mandating or incentivizing a four-day week is on the near-term horizon. — Dan Schawbel, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

Companies, still paying for hours over results, inadvertently incentivize this behavior. — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Agencies were also directed to establish leases and commercial investment opportunities to incentivize the co-development of new launch sites. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The documentary detailed how Boeing’s desire to compete in the market with Airbus incentivized upper management to push production faster without adequate quality control. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

incentive + -ize

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incentivize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize