deter
verb (used with object)
to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding.
have deterred
-
present perfectof deter.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
The bazooka was designed as a deterrent—and it seems to have deterred.
From Slate ● Jan. 23, 2026
High home prices and mortgage rates have deterred buyers, and homeowners have been reluctant to give up low mortgage rates by moving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
The police's action, however, does not appear to have deterred the group.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2025
Fears of detention and public ire have deterred foreigners, including Japanese citizens, from returning to China after the COVID-19 pandemic, despite government efforts to project an open and friendly image.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2024
The greater favorite she became with the public the more he desired her; and she would have found it hard to invent any condition, however flagrantly harsh, that would have deterred him from the match.
From The Vanity Girl by Compton MacKenzie
