{
    "term": "incentive",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "academic": true,
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "something that encourages you to do something",
            "sensetop": "incentive (for/to somebody/something) (to do something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There is no incentive for people to save fuel."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is an added incentive for you to buy from our new range—a free gift with every purchase."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She had the added incentive of being within reach of the world record."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This gives pupils a strong incentive to read in English."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was thought that this would act as an incentive for couples to adopt older children."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Low levels of profitability mean there is a lack of incentive to undertake new investment."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was little incentive to conduct research."
                },
                {
                    "text": "US companies faced a clear incentive to downsize."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is little incentive for firms to increase the skills of their workers."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "generous", "good"],
                "verb + incentive": ["act as", "be", "have"],
                "incentive + noun": ["plan", "programme/​program", "scheme"],
                "preposition": ["incentive to"],
                "phrases": ["have every incentive", "a lack of incentive"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a payment or concession (= a reduction in the amount of money that has to be paid) that encourages somebody to do something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "tax incentives to encourage savings"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This gives them a direct financial incentive to reduce pollution."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The scheme gives farmers cash incentives to help manage the countryside."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The government decided to offer incentives to foreign investors."
                },
                {
                    "text": "employee incentives such as bonuses and commission"
                },
                {
                    "text": "direct financial incentives to have smaller families"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company operates a share incentive scheme for its workers."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Money"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "generous", "good"],
                "verb + incentive": ["act as", "be", "have"],
                "incentive + noun": ["plan", "programme/​program", "scheme"],
                "preposition": ["incentive to"],
                "phrases": ["have every incentive", "a lack of incentive"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈsentɪv/",
                "audio": "in/incentive/incentive__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪnˈsentɪv/",
                "audio": "in/incentive/incentive__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Latin incentivum ‘something that sets the tune or incites’, from incantare ‘to chant or charm’."
}