Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To incentivize.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive, US To provide an incentive to (a person or organization).
  • verb transitive, US To provide an incentive for (something).

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Back-formation from incentive.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Back-formation from incentive.

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Examples

  • The word incent represents an appalling abuse of the English language.

    Archive 2006-10-01 2006

  • The word incent represents an appalling abuse of the English language.

    Getting catty about legal language 2006

  • My brother, who teaches high school in a Chicago suburb, recently told me that his school board is now throwing around the word "incent," as in "we want to incent our students to optimize their educational outcomes."

    Some hockey lingo deserves a spot in the penalty box 2008

  • Now that people have had a few (small) doses of Arnespeak (like "incent" as a verb), it's time to get ready for the full foulness of the programs.

    Let's Be Sick, But Jim Horn 2009

  • Now that people have had a few (small) doses of Arnespeak (like "incent" as a verb), it's time to get ready for the full foulness of the programs.

    Archive 2009-03-01 Jim Horn 2009

  • I can "incent" my students to know enough to pass just about any test, but mastery requires time, effort, and love.

    Ollie Ollie In Come Free! doyle 2009

  • I can "incent" my students to know enough to pass just about any test, but mastery requires time, effort, and love.

    Archive 2009-02-01 doyle 2009

  • I share your disdain for stupid diction, and "incent" is certainly among the stupider.

    Getting catty about legal language 2006

  • Sorry, but "incent" is a useful word, which is why it's not going away any time soon.

    Getting catty about legal language 2006

  • Richard: Thanks for pointing me to her; I just read her eminently sensible column on the verb "incent" and I think I'll add her to the sidebar.

    languagehat.com: SAFIRE REACHES NEW DEPTHS. 2005

Comments

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  • I actually hate this verb more than I hate incentivize.

    May 22, 2009

  • "Producers were scrambling to keep up with skyrocketing demand, and it is unclear how much incremental supply the subsidies really incented."

    - unclear source, quoted by Giles Parkinson in The great big subsidy myth, climatespectator.com.au, 10 Oct 2011.

    October 16, 2011

  • This vile word incentses me.

    October 16, 2011

  • Wasn't this worth the visit?

    "Either I'm too high or this incent smells like pussy”

    @CStylezDaFuture

    October 16, 2011

  • See also “Words that MUST BE DESTROYED”.

    October 16, 2011