deter
Americanverb (used with object)
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to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding.
The large dog deterred trespassers.
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to prevent; check; arrest.
timber treated with creosote to deter rot.
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to repel.
Strongly scented marigolds planted among the melons are supposed to deter beetles.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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determentnoun
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deterrabilitynoun
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deterrernoun
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undeterrabilitynoun
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deterrableadjective
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undeterrableadjective
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undeterringadjective
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undeterrablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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detersimple
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deterssimple
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have deterredperfect
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has deterredperfect
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am deterringprogressive
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are deterringprogressive
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is deterringprogressive
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have been deterringperfect progressive
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has been deterringperfect progressive
Past
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deterredsimple
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had deterredperfect
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was deterringprogressive
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were deterringprogressive
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had been deterringperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing deter
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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:
Companies typically admit to their violations, pay fines and undertake compliance and leadership changes to deter future wrongdoing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Individual investors often understand this, yet it may not deter them from the “fun” of trying to pick winners, riding them higher and selling at their peak.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
"This very real debt would also deter potential learners from entering higher education in the first place, while making it harder for people to return to education later in life."
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
But the searing temperatures have done little to deter President Donald Trump, who has gone to great lengths to ensure the event becomes, in large part, a celebration of himself.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
In fact, this intimidating entrance is all part of the vendor’s security shell, to deter window-shoppers.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
“Not only is it the most expensive route, but it also deters from your actual mission, and so I decided that I would go down that path and build it.”
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
While legal experts expect the suspension to be lifted, the delays add to legal uncertainty that deters investment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
It can foster guilt and create a dependency that discourages, delays and even deters a grandchild from developing an independent life.
From Salon ● May 11, 2025
“Ideally, it deters them from crossing” illegally, said Jeffrey Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent of the Border Patrol’s San Diego sector.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2025
The others have turned pale; let’s hope it deters them.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
She had wanted to legally change her surname for years, but had been deterred by the cost.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
And since the pile-up of injuries hasn’t deterred women from buying the pants, it might just be that fashion victim is the real label of the summer.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
While the increased assessments needed to meet new standards deterred buyers for a few years, Florida condo statistics from May 2026 indicate the condo market is beginning to recover.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Last Fourth of July, the company’s system deterred more than 20,000 people in the U.S. from booking an entire home listing on Airbnb, according to company spokesperson Ruthie Kongo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The few times I’d wished I could walk in one direction for as long as I wanted, the threat of those rattlesnakes deterred me.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
Airlines expect to carry more passengers this year but earn only half as much profit as in 2025, as high fuel prices don't appear to be fully deterring travel, according to projections published Sunday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
Attorneys for Lively said on Thursday that she will continue pursuing damages against Baldoni and other defendants under a California law aimed at deterring retaliatory defamation lawsuits tied to sexual harassment claims.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
Beijing’s move reflects concerns about losing AI talent and deterring overseas moves, mirroring U.S. investment restrictions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
In a 48-page memo released on Friday, the department says this will "strengthen" the death penalty, "deterring the most barbaric crimes, delivering justice for victims, and providing long-overdue closure to surviving loved ones".
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
It can patrol there with its big old horns, deterring burglars and such.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
