incentivize

verb

in·​cen·​tiv·​ize in-ˈsen-tə-ˌvīz How to pronounce incentivize (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In practice, this could take the form of direct funding for early-stage, low-carbon technologies or long-term funding mechanisms to incentivize investment. Jessica Jurkschat, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025 That’s according to data conducted by The Harris Poll for Nift, a double-sided marketplace that allows companies to incentivize consumers with gift cards, shows that more than 60 percent of consumers are overwhelmed by the number of ads brands and retailers present to them. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025 With Prime, Amazon gets consumers to pay for free shipping up front, incentivizing them to keep using their platform. NPR, 21 Oct. 2025 Since the city incentivized the private haulers to offer better deals by softening some recycling requirements, the pace of customers securing new service has accelerated, Bauer said. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incentivize

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incentivize was in 1960

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incentivize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incentivize. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!