deterrence

noun

Definition of deterrencenext
as in discouragement

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deterrence However, when measured by military capability, economic leverage, strategic positioning and long-term deterrence, the outcome is clear. — Shaun McCutcheon, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2026 Britain has publicly committed itself to strengthening NATO's deterrence posture and expanding its role in European security. — Elena Giuliano, CBS News, 11 June 2026 Allied participation should likewise be expanded so that deterrence is shared rather than carried by Washington alone for the benefit of freeloaders who consume Middle Eastern hydrocarbons and fertilizers. — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Finland’s parliament on Wednesday voted to lift a decades-old ban on nuclear weapons, approving a major defense policy shift aimed at aligning the country more closely with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deterrence strategy. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deterrence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deterrence
  1. discouragement
  2. instruction
  3. suppression
  4. repression
  5. charging
  6. bidding
  7. dictation
  8. direction
Noun
  • SpongeBob doesn’t stay stuck in discouragement or disappointment for long, but rather looks for something positive to focus on.
    — Liz Regalia, Parents, 23 June 2026
  • Ray McMillian is a talented Black classical violinist who defies systemic racism and his family’s discouragement to achieve musical success.
    — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
Definition of discouragement
Noun
  • Recent policies that State Shield has supported include a Tennessee bill requiring the state board of education to adopt age-appropriate instruction related to communism and a Louisiana resolution encouraging economic ties with Taiwan.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • Plants need a good root system to hold onto water, and post-establishment watering instructions are important to follow.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • In fact a 2025 published in Open Nursing linked these expectations to elevated stress, emotional suppression, delayed healthcare utilization, burnout, and adverse physical health outcomes.
    — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The post also states that fire suppression resources will be stationed on-site.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of suppression
Noun
  • His approach has drawn criticism from ​some Sikh groups, who accuse Ottawa of failing to hold India accountable or safeguard Sikh Canadians from foreign interference and transnational repression.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • Government repression increasingly targeted Catholic clergy in communities in Quiché, and Gerardi began to openly protest the violent acts.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of repression
Noun
  • But weak charging infrastructure, limited and unreliable electricity supply outside major cities, and high financing costs could constrain widespread adoption on the continent, even as investors race to build out infrastructure.
    — Jenny Vaughan, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
  • Luxembourg had about 3,000 publicly accessible charging points in 2026, including about 500 fast-chargers.
    — Emese Maczko, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of charging
Noun
  • Another Fanatics executive managed to secure a $40,000-a-month lease on an eighth-floor three-bedroom after a bidding war (and Rubin’s intervention), per the Real Deal.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 July 2026
  • That's never been a targeting parameter or a bidding strategy.
    — Jonathan Weeks, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of bidding
Noun
  • Most dictation tools ship your audio to a server, which adds lag and leaves your voice data on someone else’s hardware.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 5 July 2026
  • Upgrades like a new custom Siri voice and dictation feature expected to launch this fall will be limited to a small number of newer iPhones, iPads, and Macs because the older and lesser-expensive ones can't handle the memory-hungry options.
    — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 19 June 2026
Definition of dictation
Noun
  • Follow the specific directions from your doctor and the exact type of medicine, first and foremost.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • The 2026 Honor Marching Band and Color Guard, under the direction of Boise State professor Phil Hartman, filled the air with festive tunes in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 4 July 2026
Definition of direction

Browse Nearby Words

deterred
deterrence
deterrences
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deterrence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deterrence. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on deterrence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deterrence

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All