deterrent

American  

[dih-tur-uhnt, -tuhr-, -ter-] / dɪˈtɜr ənt, -ˈtʌr-, -ˈtɛr- /

adjective

1. serving or tending to deter.

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noun

• deterrents
  plural

1. something that prevents, checks, or suppresses.

   a deterrent to crime.

2. something that repels.

   Our lemongrass-based bug deterrent is natural, safe, and effective.

   Synonyms:

   hindrance, check, curb, restraint

3. military strength or an ability to defend a country or retaliate strongly enough to deter an enemy from attacking.

deterrent British  

/ dɪˈtɛrənt /

noun

1. something that deters

2. a weapon or combination of weapons, esp nuclear, held by one state, etc, to deter attack by another

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adjective

1. tending or used to deter; restraining

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deterrence
  noun
• nondeterrent
  adjective
• deterrently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• deterrents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of deterrent

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin dēterrent- (stem of dēterrēns ), present participle of dēterrēre; see origin at deter, -ent

Explanation

A deterrent makes you not want to do something. Let's say there's a giant pile of cookies being guarded by an angry dog — the dog is a deterrent. People talk about deterrents most often when discussing crime. The death penalty is supposed to be a deterrent — the idea is that people will be so scared of the death penalty that they won't commit certain crimes. Jail is another deterrent. Teachers also use deterrents — the possibility of getting detention is a deterrent that should encourage students to behave. A deterrent is the opposite of a reward. A reward encourages you to do the right thing, while a deterrent discourages you from doing the wrong thing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deterrent deterrents

“We have the resources. We are building a deterrent that will be powerful,” Breuer said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

"That is the biggest deterrent of all for a man who has constantly resisted efforts to to look inside his empire and financial circumstances," said Paulson.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

“But I’m sure there’s some deterrent effect when they see 30 like-minded nations working together,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Even if Saudi Arabia doesn't race to develop nuclear weapons right away, the potential ability to do so could still give the country a powerful deterrent force in the region, analysts said.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Not only did all those police act as a deterrent, but they also provided the manpower to imprison criminals who might have otherwise gone uncaught.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

They said a variety of deterrents, including spikes and vapour-releasing gel pods to discourage roosting, were used as a first port of call.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

A government spokesperson said it was "committed" to "restoring oceans to good health" and had been trialling deterrents since 2019.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

“And the durability of this truce depends less on the warmth of the words exchanged by the two leaders than on the credibility of the deterrents they can wield against each other.”

From Barron's ● May 15, 2026

This lifestyle has also fostered an arms race of chemical deterrents to prevent the sponges from being eaten.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

The pervasive emptiness and stultifying summer heat were only minor deterrents when compared with the more elemental consideration that all the banking and commercial institutions were based elsewhere, chiefly in Philadelphia and New York.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• disincentive
• hindrance
• obstacle