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
The specter of shifting politics deters drillers from taking up new licenses.
—
Ari Natter, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026
The green leaves are splotched with white and bumpy on the upper side, and the stems are hairy, which deters deer.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 4 June 2026
The herb’s fragrance confuses and deters pests from eating your peppers.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2026
Durable advantage comes from capital intensity that deters fast followers, proximity to users and jurisdictions and hard-to-replicate regulatory constraints.
—Tk Keanini, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
This peppery veggie also deters cucumber beetles and root maggots.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 27 May 2026
Those who deviate are eliminated, leaving a trail of blood that deters other would-be challengers.
—Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Those who deviate are eliminated, leaving a trail of blood that deters other would-be challengers.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Lavender deters mosquitoes and moths.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Ari Natter, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026
The green leaves are splotched with white and bumpy on the upper side, and the stems are hairy, which deters deer.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 4 June 2026
The herb’s fragrance confuses and deters pests from eating your peppers.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2026
Durable advantage comes from capital intensity that deters fast followers, proximity to users and jurisdictions and hard-to-replicate regulatory constraints.
—Tk Keanini, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
This peppery veggie also deters cucumber beetles and root maggots.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 27 May 2026
Those who deviate are eliminated, leaving a trail of blood that deters other would-be challengers.
—Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Those who deviate are eliminated, leaving a trail of blood that deters other would-be challengers.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Lavender deters mosquitoes and moths.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deters
Verb
-
But if a dentist dissuades you from getting one, Nguyen said, that’s another red flag.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
-
The boldest part of Astra Nord’s strategy is its intention to begin building the 213-foot Neon on spec, in a market where spiking construction costs and uncertain demand dissuades many shipyards from the same.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Google discourages websites from trying to game AI search results, saying that the surest way to get mentioned by AI is to create content that is genuinely useful to humans.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
Larger birds require a larger platform and entrance hole, while smaller birds are better protected with a small entrance hole that discourages other birds from entering.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deters. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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