disincentive

This term describes a negative catalyst that suppresses motivation or prevents a specific action. It is most frequently employed in formal, economic, or political discourse to describe systemic barriers, such as taxes or regulations, that make a particular choice less attractive. While an incentive pulls a person toward a goal, a disincentive pushes them away. It carries a clinical, strategic connotation, often implying a deliberate design by an authority to steer behavior through the threat of loss or inconvenience.