Synonyms

deter

American

[dih-tur] / dɪˈtɜr /

verb (used with object)

to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding.

The large dog deterred trespassers.
to prevent; check; arrest.

timber treated with creosote to deter rot.
to repel.

Strongly scented marigolds planted among the melons are supposed to deter beetles.

deter British

/ dɪˈtɜː /

verb

(tr) to discourage (from acting) or prevent (from occurring), usually by instilling fear, doubt, or anxiety

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of deter

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin dēterrēre “to discourage, put off, frighten,” equivalent to dē-, prefix and preposition + terrēre “to frighten, scare”; see de-

Explanation

Deter means to discourage, or literally “to frighten away.” Halloween decorations that are too scary might deter trick-or-treaters, and the risk of being expelled deters kids from cheating in school. Deter comes from the Latin de meaning "away" and terrere meaning "frighten." Something that deters isn’t always scary, though: citronella plants deter mosquitoes, and fines deter people from littering. Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy dictum "speak softly and carry a big stick" was meant to deter other countries from attacking the United States.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing deter

Things Fall Apart

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

deter deters deterred deterring

A few years ago a retired four-star general assured this newspaper’s editorial board that the U.S. could deter China over Taiwan as it once had the Soviet Union in Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

People nearby were confused, she said, and one man was "trying to bang on the fence to try and deter the tiger away, but it obviously wasn't doing anything".

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Don’t let a fancy offer document bedazzle you and deter your due diligence.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

"Our aim by increasing investment in national defence is not to provoke, rather, it is to deter war," President Lai Ching-te said in speech to celebrate Taiwan's National Day.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026

He found, always, that matter had retained its dubious solidity in his absence; but this did not deter him.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

The government has previously argued that paying ministers high salaries deters corruption.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

The beauty of Finch is that it actively deters you from an all-or-nothing mindset; you can customize your goals realistically to your lifestyle and needs.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026

Not everyone is well-versed in investing for retirement, and that lack of knowledge deters some people from saving for the future at all.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

I think some of that deters people from coming to downtown even if you have a cool place and a cool party,” Origin’s co-founder Roni Mehrabian said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The others have turned pale; let’s hope it deters them.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

William Amaya added that he is a graduate of Franklin and there used to be one or more officers on campus who broke up fights and deterred others with their presence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

The ICC said it wouldn’t be deterred by the U.S. sanctions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The furore has not deterred other companies from eyeing the market, however.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Rupar told Salon that he won’t be deterred “from the unvarnished coverage of Trumpworld I’ve been doing since 2016.”

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026

Moreover, the threat of violence often deterred blacks from pressing legitimate claims, making the “civil rights” of former slaves largely illusory—existing on paper but rarely to be found in real life.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

But after months of consultation, the culture ministry decided against the move, saying it could risk deterring domestic visitors as well as a result.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

The sight of vacant shops and graffiti can quickly become a vicious circle, deterring shoppers, discouraging investment and leading to anti-social behaviour.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

But deterring nuclear war wasn’t a one-day job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

That begs the question of why they were performed, other than raw intimidation, deterring would-be whistleblowers, and punishing the disloyal.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

It can patrol there with its big old horns, deterring burglars and such.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023