1 deter | Definition of deter

deter

verb
de·​ter | \ di-ˈtÉ™r How to pronounce deter (audio) , dÄ“-\
deterred; deterring

Definition of deter

transitive verb

1 : to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting she would not be deterred by threats
2 : inhibit painting to deter rust

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Other Words from deter

determent \ di-​ˈtÉ™r-​mÉ™nt How to pronounce determent (audio) , dÄ“-​ \ noun
deterrability \ di-​ËŒtÉ™r-​É™-​ˈbi-​lÉ™-​tÄ“ How to pronounce deterrability (audio) , dÄ“-​ \ noun
deterrable \ di-​ˈtÉ™r-​É™-​bÉ™l How to pronounce deterrable (audio) , dÄ“-​ \ adjective

Synonyms & Antonyms for deter

Synonyms

discourage, dissuade, inhibit

Antonyms

encourage, persuade

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The Fearful History of Deter

The word deter is rooted in fear. It was borrowed into English around the mid-16th century from the Latin verb deterrēre, which in turn was formed by combining de-, meaning "from" or "away," with terrēre, meaning "to frighten." Terrēre is also the source of terror, terrible, and even terrific, which originally meant "very bad" or "frightful." These days, you may be deterred by something that frightens you or by something that simply causes you to think about the difficult or unpleasant consequences of continuing. The word can also mean "to inhibit," as in "painting to deter rust."

Examples of deter in a Sentence

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, the automaker in most imminent danger of failure, gave lawmakers three reasons Chapter 11 isn't an option. First, the special financing that usually tides companies over through reorganization is so scarce right now that GM might not be able to get enough to keep functioning. Second, the stigma of bankruptcy would deter consumers from buying GM cars. Third, GM is already in the midst of a dramatic reorganization that will pave the way to a profitable future. — Justin Fox, Time, 1 Dec. 2008 For some species that deter attack by being poisonous, the goal of their physical appearance is not to hide or confuse other forest creatures, but to be noticed. — Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005 Originally developed to monitor and track cattle, radio frequency identification (RFID) is now the cutting edge in merchandise, parcel, and baggage tracking. It's debuting in stores and libraries across the country as the most effective way to track inventory and deter theft without making consumers feel like they're in a war zone. — Athan Bezaaitis, PC Magazine, January 2000 None of these tribulations deterred spectators in the least. The ancient Olympics remained immensely popular, the greatest recurring event in antiquity, from 776 b.c. (when Hercules himself was said to have founded them) until a ban on pagan festivals by Christian emperor Theodosius I in the fourth century a.d. ensured their demise—a spectacular thousand-year run. — Leigh Steinberg, Civilization, June/July 2000 Some potential buyers will be deterred by the price. Painting the metal will deter rust.
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Recent Examples on the Web

Initially, Bare apparently was able, using a police flashlight, to deter Thakuri that night, when Thakuri may have been mentally unstable, Johnson said. Bruce Finley, The Denver Post, "A year later, Nepali-Americans mourn, demand justice in Westminster police killing of unarmed immigrant Birendra Thakuri," 25 Aug. 2019 In order to deter families from crossing the southern border illegally, the plan goes, a rule limiting family detention to 20 days will be eliminated. S.m. | Des Moines, The Economist, "Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies face court challenges," 22 Aug. 2019 Case took years In the 1980s, the Reagan administration aggressively used detention of Central Americans as a device to deter migration from that region, where violent civil wars had caused tens of thousands to flee. Kevin Johnson, The Conversation, "Changes for a landmark agreement mean immigrant children face harsher treatment in US," 22 Aug. 2019 To deter agents from duping college underclassmen into turning pro and thus forfeiting NCAA eligibility, the UAAA also requires that representation contracts include, in boldface type and in capital letters, several warnings. Michael Mccann, SI.com, "What's Next in Zion Williamson's Extended Federal Lawsuit?," 22 Aug. 2019 The doctrine does — as a practical matter — allow citizens to use the threat of decisive force to deter unlawful violence. David French, National Review, "A Michigan Court Case Shows the Right of Armed Self-Defense Is Broader Than You Might Think," 21 Aug. 2019 The graphic warnings are intended to deter smoking. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Check out the gory, cringy images the FDA wants to put on cigarettes," 16 Aug. 2019 The condemnation doesn’t seem to have deterred Trump, who drew further ire this week for Tweets denigrating the city of Baltimore. Amy Gunia, Time, "'She Went Back With Me.' Ilhan Omar Trolls Trump by Posing With Pelosi in Ghana," 2 Aug. 2019 One simple regulatory change now working through the state’s rulemaking system, Marvin explained, likely would make cases easier to close and help deter songbird trafficking. Karine Aigner, National Geographic, "Songbirds are being snatched from Miami’s forests," 25 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of deter

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for deter

Latin deterrēre, from de- + terrēre to frighten — more at terror

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More Definitions for deter

deter

verb

English Language Learners Definition of deter

: to cause (someone) to decide not to do something
: to prevent (something) from happening

deter

verb
de·​ter | \ di-ˈtÉ™r How to pronounce deter (audio) \
deterred; deterring

Kids Definition of deter

1 : to cause (someone) not to do something Nothing deters a good man from doing what is honorable.— Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
2 : to prevent (something) from happening Painting the metal will deter rust.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deter

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deter

Spanish Central: Translation of deter

Nglish: Translation of deter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of deter for Arabic Speakers