deterrence

noun

Definition of deterrencenext
as in discouragement

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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 Since the early years of this century, Russian strategists have tried to develop conventional alternatives to nuclear deterrence. — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026 Hidden underwater ballistic missile submarines are mainly designed for strategic nuclear deterrence. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026 No discussion of nuclear deterrence should ever lose sight of the human lives behind those words. — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Some commentators have argued that the bombings and multiple ceasefires actually strengthen American credibility by demonstrating American deterrence capabilities and resolve toward adversaries. — Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 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
  • In a paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, members of the WTA’s performance and health staff stressed the importance of providing support, rather than discouragement, to athletes seeking to preserve their fertility.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the feeling of discouragement that can come with the rejections and even ghostings applicants face, these internships — though sometimes few and far between — still exist.
    — Cami Fateh, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of discouragement
Noun
  • That role demands reliable equipment capable of transmitting strategic instructions during severe national security crises.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Gartner expects more than 40% of agentic AI projects, which are projects built on AI that acts on its own rather than waiting for instructions, to be scrapped by the end of 2027, citing escalating costs and unclear business value among the reasons.
    — Ciaran Cosgrave, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • His motivation comes from seeing voter suppression attempts in North Carolina and other states.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Palestinian voters have also faced intimidation and voter suppression.
    — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppression
Noun
  • The future of Indian democracy hinges on whether this contest opens up more democratic space or leads to greater repression.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • To play Sebastian, Guitarrica had to immerse himself in the character’s emotional repression, from which music is his only escape.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of repression
Noun
  • In time, this could help scientists design sodium-ion cathodes optimized for specific needs, such as higher energy storage, faster charging, or longer-lasting performance.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Despite the charger advertising 160W charging passthrough, its USB-C ports labeled C1 and C2 each top out at 140W when just one device is plugged into the charger.
    — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of charging
Noun
  • The anchor book is a portion of the total fundraise set aside for large institutional investors before the IPO opens for public bidding.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Netflix landing three of the projects is indicative of how aggressive the streamer has been over the past year, winning a large portion of the big TV bidding wars.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of bidding
Noun
  • Apple Silicon Mac users can instead choose fully offline, on-device dictation.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
  • One is the choice for Muse dictation to occur in the cloud, where Meta can log it.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of dictation
Noun
  • No other age bracket recorded a change in median net worth larger than 6% in either direction, according to Maggiulli, writing in his blog, Of Dollars and Data.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • When the plant roots encounter an area acidified by decaying plant matter—a chemical gradient distinct from that of animal matter—ABA builds up on the side facing the rot, encouraging growth in the other direction.
    — Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of direction

Browse Nearby Words

deterred
deterrence
deterrences
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Cite this Entry

“Deterrence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deterrence. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deterrence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deterrence

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