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
Watchman Trail in Zion National Park, Utah The dry heat that typically deters hikers from southern Utah in the summer is long gone by the winter months.
—
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026
Judges and others have expressed concern that the practice deters defendants from showing up to court, but the president and his allies say is necessary to apprehend those living in the country illegally.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
Do not put food in shelters, as that deters the cats from sleeping inside them.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 15 Dec. 2025
The only way to get there is via the avalanche-prone State Route 88 between Carson Pass and the Carson Spur, which deters fair-weather visitors and keeps liftlines manageable or even non-existent.
—Drew Zieff, Outside, 21 Nov. 2025
But whether charging athletes, coaches and other sports figures with crimes that carry decades-long prison sentences deters wrongful acts is a wager itself.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Nov. 2025
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
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026
Judges and others have expressed concern that the practice deters defendants from showing up to court, but the president and his allies say is necessary to apprehend those living in the country illegally.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
Do not put food in shelters, as that deters the cats from sleeping inside them.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 15 Dec. 2025
The only way to get there is via the avalanche-prone State Route 88 between Carson Pass and the Carson Spur, which deters fair-weather visitors and keeps liftlines manageable or even non-existent.
—Drew Zieff, Outside, 21 Nov. 2025
But whether charging athletes, coaches and other sports figures with crimes that carry decades-long prison sentences deters wrongful acts is a wager itself.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deters
Verb
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The tension between the audience wanting the best for Siaja while her community dissuades her is key to North of North’s appeal, and that all comes down to how strongly Lambe anchors the series around her.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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Taking away automatic renewal also dissuades employers from offering jobs to H-4 holders out of concerns about potential employment gaps, Peddibhotla added.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Immigrant advocates say the program encourages racial profiling and discourages people from reporting crimes.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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With its stable, upright backrest, the seat discourages slouching, but also has enough give for comfortably sitting hour after hour.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deters. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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