deterrent

American  

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

adjective

1. serving or tending to deter.

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noun

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

• deterrence noun
• deterrently adverb
• nondeterrent adjective

Etymology

Origin of deterrent

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

Example Sentences

Accepting Washington's conditions risks hollowing out the regime's deterrent strategy.

From BBC

Iran is seen as unlikely to agree to the last point, since it doesn’t have much of an air force and relies on missiles as its main deterrent.

From The Wall Street Journal

The minister said the changes would act as a "deterrent", and that he hoped "very few, if any" people would actually have their passes removed.

From BBC

Now, he says, officers have a greater ability to keep up and the e-bikes are acting as a powerful deterrent.

From BBC

"What we are seeing isn't just strike preparation, but rather a broader deterrent deployment capable of being scaled up or down," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• disincentive
• hindrance
• obstacle