encourage payment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encourage payment" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where you want to promote or motivate someone to make a payment. For example, "The company aims to encourage payment by offering discounts for early settlement." Alternative expressions include "promote payment" and "facilitate payment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

It is easy to catalogue the things that John Bolton doesn't "do" — encourage payment of U.N. dues, support the International Criminal Court, strengthen international disarmament treaties.

The New Yorker

Kidnappers often demand ransoms of more than $1 million for foreigners, and can be cruel to their captives to encourage payment.

The New York Times

Interior Minister Malik said the government did not encourage payment of ransom, but conceded that, for those who ended up in Waziristan, there were few alternatives — even if it meant financing the insurgency.

The New York Times

The new plan foresees increasing government revenues through a crackdown on tax evasion and fraud, and a new lottery designed to encourage payment of sales tax.

BBC

Their ostensible role was to report on any illegal activity and to encourage payment of taxes to the British.

Wikipedia

Uncollected court-ordered debt in California has burgeoned to more than $10 billion, and by reducing fines the proposed amnesty program aims to encourage payment.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

The researchers said that in the US, ownership of a tablet or smartphone appeared to encourage payments - particularly if the devices were made by Apple.

BBC

"Cable encourages quality competition while the internet encourages payment competition.

The Guardian - Music

Nasdaq's system of competing market makers also encourages "payment for order flow," where market makers pay brokers for the chance to execute customers' orders.

The New York Times

Two situations loom, neither one encouraging: payments may continue to soar until they threaten the budget, or Congress may be forced to cut payments, leaving farmers in desperate shape.

The New York Times

Even with the sneaky signage, which encourages payments of twenty-five dollars for adults, seventeen dollars for senior citizens, and twelve dollars for students, the average visitor donates eleven dollars, compared to the forty dollars that the Met estimates each visit costs.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the expression with a clear 'because' or 'by' clause to specify the benefit of paying, such as avoiding late fees or accessing a discount.

Common error

Avoid using "encourage payment" when the situation involves a mandatory legal obligation that must be enforced immediately. In such cases, use more assertive terms like "require payment" or "demand payment" to ensure clarity regarding the recipient's responsibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encourage payment" acts as a transitive verb phrase composed of the verb 'encourage' and the noun 'payment'. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it frequently appears within infinitive phrases (e.g., 'to encourage payment') or as part of a legislative or corporate goal. It serves to describe the initiation of a process designed to influence financial behavior.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "encourage payment" is a versatile and professionally sound phrase used to describe the act of motivating a financial transaction. Ludwig AI identifies its presence across a wide array of high-quality sources, from The New York Times to specialized scientific journals. It is particularly effective in contexts where the speaker or writer wants to advocate for compliance—such as tax or fee collection—using a positive or neutral framing. While it is less aggressive than 'demand', it remains highly professional. Writers should be mindful to use it when an incentive or a 'nudge' is the primary mechanism being described, ensuring that it is not confused with simple requests or strict legal requirements.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prompt payment

Focuses on the timeliness of the transaction rather than the act of motivation.

incentivize payment

Implies the use of a specific reward or benefit to trigger the action.

facilitate payment

Suggests making the process easier rather than providing motivation.

motivate payment

A more psychological approach to encouraging action.

solicit payment

A more formal and direct request for funds.

secure payment

Emphasizes the successful completion or guarantee of receiving funds.

induce payment

Slightly more formal, often used in legal or technical contexts to describe an effect.

request payment

A neutral, direct call to action without the nuance of encouragement.

stimulate payment

Often used in macroeconomic contexts regarding market flow.

urge payment

Increases the level of pressure and urgency compared to encouragement.

FAQs

How do I use "encourage payment" in a professional email?

You can use it to frame a nudge politely, for example: "We offer a 5% discount to <a href="/s/encourage+payment" target="_blank" rel="alternative">encourage payment within ten days."

What is a more formal way to say "encourage payment"?

In highly formal or legal settings, you might prefer to use "<a href="/s/solicit+payment" target="_blank" rel="alternative">solicit payment" or "<a href="/s/incentivize+payment" target="_blank" rel="alternative">incentivize payment" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "encourage payments" in the plural?

Yes, both singular and plural forms are correct. Use the plural "<a href="/s/encourage+payments" target="_blank" rel="alternative">encourage payments" when referring to multiple transactions or a general policy affecting many people.

What is the difference between "encourage payment" and "prompt payment"?

While "encourage payment" describes the action of the collector to motivate the debtor, "<a href="/s/prompt+payment" target="_blank" rel="alternative">prompt payment" usually refers to the timely act of paying itself.