as in dissuades
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 deters
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
The whales' communication can be disturbed by underwater noise made by humans, and the interference often deters them from certain crucial areas, like breeding and feeding locations.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Making the area around fruit trees less attractive to critters also deters them.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
Rosemary & Sea Salt Potato Chips Classy concept, but the rosemary tasted stale or rancid; there’s a bitter note that deters you from another handful.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
Choose one that deters all but the most determined squirrels and place it away from your bulb bed.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
To be sure, more frequent exams can increase the chances of false positives—a stressful experience that sometimes deters future screenings.
—Jennie Durant, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
These findings suggest that transparency in the authorization process effectively deters companies from obtaining low-value patent extensions without discouraging further research and development.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025
The investigatory demand seeks to chill their services and advocacy, places an undue burden on Exodus to fulfill the request, exposes private information of its clients, and deters potential clients, according to the complaint.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
The whales' communication can be disturbed by underwater noise made by humans, and the interference often deters them from certain crucial areas, like breeding and feeding locations.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Making the area around fruit trees less attractive to critters also deters them.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
Rosemary & Sea Salt Potato Chips Classy concept, but the rosemary tasted stale or rancid; there’s a bitter note that deters you from another handful.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
Choose one that deters all but the most determined squirrels and place it away from your bulb bed.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
To be sure, more frequent exams can increase the chances of false positives—a stressful experience that sometimes deters future screenings.
—Jennie Durant, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
These findings suggest that transparency in the authorization process effectively deters companies from obtaining low-value patent extensions without discouraging further research and development.
—Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025
The investigatory demand seeks to chill their services and advocacy, places an undue burden on Exodus to fulfill the request, exposes private information of its clients, and deters potential clients, according to the complaint.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deters
Verb
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In the velvety elegance of Paris, Jacques (Guillaume des Forêts, nearly a Timothée Chalamet look-alike), a floppy-haired painter, dissuades Marthe (Isabelle Weingarten) from jumping into the Seine when her fiancé abandons her.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Grok also discourages users from sharing personal or sensitive information.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Deters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deters. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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