as in to dissuade
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
we tried to deter him from his crazy scheme, but to no avail
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Recent Examples of deter
That approach has long aimed to deter a Chinese invasion by reinforcing the island’s defences while remaining vague about whether Washington would come to Taiwan’s defense.
—
Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
That stands in contrast to the view from the Colombian and US agents working to deter the trafficking.
—Evan Perez, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
In an email to Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump views acquiring Greenland as a national security priority to deter rivals in the Arctic.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
Don't let the long ingredient list of vegetables deter you, this soup is simple to make.
—Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter
Verb
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The reminder didn’t dissuade at least five park visitors from participating in a 2023 brawl that was captured on video, showing a woman and man throwing punches at each other and wrestling before others joined in.—
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By providing the Kichwa additional education and alternative sources of income, they’re dissuaded from hunting the more incredible animals in the rainforest.—
Verb
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Despite being one of the top defenses all season, the last month has been discouraging.—
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This design helps prevent condensation buildup and discourages rodents and pests, while still reducing the risk of damage from falling debris during winter storms.—
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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