deter

verb

de·​ter di-ˈtər How to pronounce deter (audio)
dē-
deterred; deterring

transitive verb

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

Did you know?

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.
Recent Examples on the Web Liberal organizations worry Newsom’s policies, such as CARE Court and expanding conservatorship, could infringe on civil rights, deter people from seeking help for fear of being forced into care and consign people to harsher treatment settings than necessary. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The documents indicate, more than a decade ago, Russia was doing a lot of hard thinking on how to deter a surprise attack from China. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The next step was to try to unite America’s allies behind the effort to deter an invasion. TIME, 29 Feb. 2024 While their slimy coatings deter some would-be-predators, raccoons, opossums, snakes, moles, toads, shrews, turtles, ground beetles, and birds, such as ducks, starlings, and thrushes, devour them with gusto. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024 Cold winds and overcast skies will not deter us from celebrating another brand new day here on the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are hunting for creatures and a parade of driving machines is passing near by. Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Feb. 2024 But he is surrounded by a human shield of hostages intended to deter an operation to capture or kill him, frustrating Israel’s efforts to dismantle the terrorist organization and bring the more than four-month-long war to a close. Shane Harris, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024 Wen-Ti Sung, a Fellow at the Global China Hub, Atlantic Council, stresses the need for democratic unity to deter authoritarian aggression, particularly citing Xi’s assertive leadership and its implications for Taiwan. Will Ripley, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 The mayor was quick with a threatening call to McCoy, too, but, in true McCoy fashion, he wouldn't be deterred from the pursuit of justice. Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deter was circa 1547

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near deter

Cite this Entry

“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deter. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deter

verb
de·​ter di-ˈtər How to pronounce deter (audio)
deterred; deterring
1
: to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting
wasn't deterred by the threats
2
: inhibit sense 2
painting to deter rust
determent noun

More from Merriam-Webster on deter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!