as in to dissuade
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
we tried to deter him from his crazy scheme, but to no avail
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Recent Examples of deter
In addition, immigration arrests at the courthouse have drawn criticism from many immigration advocates and local officials, who fear the tactic deters people from showing up for court.
—
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill said the threats wouldn't deter voters.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
The world’s major democracies must work more closely together and share the burden of deterring war with China.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
The heels’ height did not deter the athlete from effortlessly and energetically dancing down the tunnel.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill said the threats wouldn't deter voters.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
The world’s major democracies must work more closely together and share the burden of deterring war with China.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
The heels’ height did not deter the athlete from effortlessly and energetically dancing down the tunnel.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter
Verb
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The stories have gotten so prevalent that park management discourages people from exploring the park after dark in an attempt to dissuade ghost hunters from damaging the historic sites.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nicknames were discouraged but inevitable.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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The initiative also coincides with the $100,000 H-1B application fee, introduced September 21, two days after the DOL announcement—a White House move aimed at discouraging bulk filings by staffing and outsourcing firms.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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