deter
verb (used with object)
to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding.
will deter
-
future tenseof deter.future tense
Used to express actions, events, or states that have not yet occurred but are expected to happen.
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.
They hope the devices will deter criminals, or at least catch bad guys in the act.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
“Prosecutors hope that this will deter people from speaking up for animals, that it will deter people from rescuing them,” Rosenberg said in an Instagram video after the verdict was read.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025
Critics say his policies will deter maintenance and investment.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2025
A state spokesperson disagreed that regulators aren’t keeping the public safe and said the agency believes its penalties will deter “future non-compliance.”
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2025
Granting it and a good seaboard, it is not likely that the dangers of the sea, or any aversion to it, will deter a people from seeking wealth by the paths of ocean commerce.
From The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan
