Synonyms

deter

American

[dih-tur] / dɪˈtɜr /

verb (used with object)

deterred, deterring

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

determent noun
deterrability noun
deterrable adjective
deterrer noun
undeterrability noun
undeterrable adjective
undeterrably adverb
undeterring adjective

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”; de-

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