deter

verb

de·ter di-ˈtər

dē-

deterred; deterring

Synonyms of deter next

transitive verb

: to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting

she would not be deterred by threats

: inhibit

painting to deter rust

determent

di-ˈtər-mənt

dē-

noun

deterrability

di-ˌtər-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē

dē-

noun

deterrable

di-ˈtər-ə-bəl

dē-

adjective

Did you know?

The Fearful History of Deter

The word deter is rooted in fear. It was borrowed into English around the mid-16th century from the Latin verb deterrēre, which in turn was formed by combining de-, meaning "from" or "away," with terrēre, meaning "to frighten." Terrēre is also the source of terror, terrible, and even terrific, which originally meant "very bad" or "frightful." These days, you may be deterred by something that frightens you or by something that simply causes you to think about the difficult or unpleasant consequences of continuing. The word can also mean "to inhibit," as in "painting to deter rust."

Examples of deter in a Sentence

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, the automaker in most imminent danger of failure, gave lawmakers three reasons Chapter 11 isn't an option. First, the special financing that usually tides companies over through reorganization is so scarce right now that GM might not be able to get enough to keep functioning. Second, the stigma of bankruptcy would deter consumers from buying GM cars. Third, GM is already in the midst of a dramatic reorganization that will pave the way to a profitable future. —

Justin Fox, Time, 1 Dec. 2008

For some species that deter attack by being poisonous, the goal of their physical appearance is not to hide or confuse other forest creatures, but to be noticed. —

Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005

Originally developed to monitor and track cattle, radio frequency identification (RFID) is now the cutting edge in merchandise, parcel, and baggage tracking. It's debuting in stores and libraries across the country as the most effective way to track inventory and deter theft without making consumers feel like they're in a war zone. —

Athan Bezaaitis, PC Magazine, January 2000

None of these tribulations deterred spectators in the least. The ancient Olympics remained immensely popular, the greatest recurring event in antiquity, from 776 b.c. (when Hercules himself was said to have founded them) until a ban on pagan festivals by Christian emperor Theodosius I in the fourth century a.d. ensured their demise—a spectacular thousand-year run. —

Leigh Steinberg, Civilization, June/July 2000

Some potential buyers will be deterred by the price. Painting the metal will deter rust. See More

Recent Examples on the Web The county also plans to hold a public forum to address the most effective tactics to deter participants and spectators, and to look at options that have not worked in the past. —

Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023 Critics say the concept as it is currently outlined would do nothing to deter the most frequent fliers, who are responsible for the majority of Europe’s aviation emissions. —

Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Sep. 2023 Local businessman Mike Leathers said at a Sunday rally in Albuquerque's Old Town that having more law-abiding citizens carrying firearms can deter crime. —

Susan Montoya Bryan, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 These countries would have to raise taxes to fund larger militaries, and dedicate a greater proportion of their labor force to maintaining those militaries in order to deter hostile neighbors. —

John Gustavsson, National Review, 10 Sep. 2023 But that fight was so destructive and costly that, ever since, each has sought to deter the other from dangerous escalation, while carefully calibrating its own moves. —

Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Sep. 2023 The key to emulating Lorelai’s style is to hone in on your own—don’t let weirdness deter you from expressing yourself. —

Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2023 Some retail groups have opted for creative ways to engage the police and deter possible crimes within their stores. —

Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2023 Nansen said earlier this month that collegiate experience doesn’t deter him from playing someone like Smith, who has the body frame (6-2, 200 pounds) to start at either safety position. —

Justin Spears, The Arizona Republic, 1 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.