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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deter
Many experts say that migration levels are mainly driven by economic and humanitarian emergencies in the source countries, with the official cold shoulder in destination countries having had little impact in deterring migrants.
—
CNN Money, 26 June 2025
Nuclear weapons can deter another outside attack, but not a revolution or a palace coup (the more likely scenario).
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
For decades, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to attack Iran, but the United States and his own security chiefs deterred him.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 June 2025
School and local officials blamed the area’s high home prices for deterring students.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
CNN Money, 26 June 2025
Nuclear weapons can deter another outside attack, but not a revolution or a palace coup (the more likely scenario).
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
For decades, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to attack Iran, but the United States and his own security chiefs deterred him.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 June 2025
School and local officials blamed the area’s high home prices for deterring students.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter
Verb
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Stagnant incomes, instability over job prospects and a poor social security system have dissuaded Chinese young people from having more babies.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
21 June 2025
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Khamenei himself was in Israel’s crosshairs, although President Donald Trump dissuaded the Israelis from assassinating him, fearing an even deeper escalation.—
Daniel DePetris,
Twin Cities,
20 June 2025
Verb
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While global finance institutions and investors have long been interested in diversifying to China, Beijing’s strict controls on capital outflows and relatively opaque system have discouraged large-scale buying of mainland China assets.—
Lee Ying Shan,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
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Recent research found that 340B-eligible hospitals secured substantial profit margins on outpatient drugs and that the program discouraged biosimilar adoption, favoring expensive brand-name drugs with higher 340B profit margins.—
Ge Bai,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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