inducement

noun

in·​duce·​ment in-ˈdüs-mənt 

-ˈdyüs-

1

: a motive or consideration that leads one to action or to additional or more effective actions

2

: the act or process of inducing

3

: matter presented by way of introduction or background to explain the principal allegations of a legal cause, plea, or defense

Synonyms

• conversion
• convincing
• inducing
• persuading
• persuasion
• suasion

Choose the Right Synonym for inducement

motive, impulse, incentive, inducement, spur, goad mean a stimulus to action.

motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

Examples of inducement in a Sentence

Was his decision influenced by any illegal financial inducements?

Employees were offered a bonus as an inducement to finish the project on schedule.

The low interest rate was little inducement for individuals to save money.

Recent Examples on the Web

The accommodations necessary to satisfy U.S. rivals, and the inducements required to get allies and partners to solve problems themselves, would compel the United States to practice some measure of retrenchment. —Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2024

Word had gotten around the baseball world about the Texas wunderkind, and the Chicago Union Giants wooed him away from Fort Worth with the usual inducements. —Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2024

Stop relying on your employer for tuition reimbursement or other inducements as the single mechanism to achieve your goals. —Dr. Hudson Garrett, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024

Good workers were given a slice of their takings as well as other perks such as trips out to restaurants with the bosses as inducements. —TIME, 21 Mar. 2024

Many of the tactics deployed against the party in the leadup to the 2024 election—including politically motivated legal cases against its leaders, arrests of its workers, and inducements to candidates to switch sides—were deployed in its favor against the PML-N before elections in 2018. —Sarah Khan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2024

Protect athletes from being bribed (accepting money greater than the value of services rendered or an inducement to attend or stay) by boosters or other outside third parties or taken advantage of by unscrupulous player agents. —Donna Lopiano, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024

There’s no more compelling inducement for protectionist industrial policy than closing off the global marketplace. —Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024

Employees may keep their 401(k)s and add money to them, but without the inducement of a company match. —Carrie McCabe, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

inducement

noun

in·​duce·​ment in-ˈd(y)ü-smənt 

1

: the act of inducing

2

: something that induces

a money-back guarantee is an inducement to buy

Legal Definition

inducement

noun

in·​duce·​ment in-ˈdüs-mənt, -ˈdyüs- 

1

: factual matter presented by way of introduction or background to explain the principal allegations of a legal cause (as of slander or libel) compare innuendo

2

: a significant offer or act that promises or encourages

the inducements amounted to entrapment