disincentive

[ dis-in-sen-tiv ]

noun

1. something that discourages or deters; deterrent:

   High interest rates and government regulations are disincentives to investment.

disincentive

/ ˌdɪsɪnˈsɛntɪv /

noun

1. something that acts as a deterrent

adjective

1. acting as a deterrent

   a disincentive effect on productivity

Word History and Origins

Origin of disincentive¹

First recorded in 1945–50; dis- ¹ + incentive

Example Sentences

Mr Musk has criticised rivals including Boeing for the structure of their government contracts, which he says disincentive finishing projects on budget and on time.

From BBC

Pyro at football matches in Scotland are illegal, but in reality there's no disincentive for fans to use them.

From BBC

"That would hit us and would be a massive disincentive to save."

From BBC

As the Guardian pointed out, though, the vendors paid to coordinate canvassing have a disincentive to sniff out fake door knocks, because they themselves get paid “by the door.”

From Slate

“But all of these things collectively might provide a disincentive to bad actors to once again try to undermine legitimate elections and target our public servants.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barrier
• difficulty
• hardship
• hindrance
• hitch
• hurdle
• impediment
• interference
• obstruction
• restriction
• snag
• stumbling block