✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

token economy

noun

to·​ken economy ˈtō-kən- How to pronounce token economy (audio)
: a system of operant conditioning used for behavior therapy that involves rewarding desirable behaviors with tokens which can be exchanged for items or privileges (as food or free time) and punishing undesirable behaviors (as destruction or violence) by taking away tokens

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Token economy.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/token%20economy. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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