deter

verb

de·​ter di-ˈtər 

dē-

deterred; deterring

transitive verb

1

: to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting

she would not be deterred by threats

2

: inhibit

painting to deter rust

determent

di-ˈtər-mənt 

dē-

noun

deterrability

di-ˌtər-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

dē-

noun

deterrable

di-ˈtər-ə-bəl 

dē-

adjective

Did you know?

The Fearful History of Deter

The word deter is rooted in fear. It was borrowed into English around the mid-16th century from the Latin verb deterrēre, which in turn was formed by combining de-, meaning "from" or "away," with terrēre, meaning "to frighten." Terrēre is also the source of terror, terrible, and even terrific, which originally meant "very bad" or "frightful." These days, you may be deterred by something that frightens you or by something that simply causes you to think about the difficult or unpleasant consequences of continuing. The word can also mean "to inhibit," as in "painting to deter rust."

Synonyms

• discourage
• dissuade
• inhibit

Examples of deter in a Sentence

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, the automaker in most imminent danger of failure, gave lawmakers three reasons Chapter 11 isn't an option. First, the special financing that usually tides companies over through reorganization is so scarce right now that GM might not be able to get enough to keep functioning. Second, the stigma of bankruptcy would deter consumers from buying GM cars. Third, GM is already in the midst of a dramatic reorganization that will pave the way to a profitable future. —Justin Fox, Time, 1 Dec. 2008

For some species that deter attack by being poisonous, the goal of their physical appearance is not to hide or confuse other forest creatures, but to be noticed. —Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005

Originally developed to monitor and track cattle, radio frequency identification (RFID) is now the cutting edge in merchandise, parcel, and baggage tracking. It's debuting in stores and libraries across the country as the most effective way to track inventory and deter theft without making consumers feel like they're in a war zone. —Athan Bezaaitis, PC Magazine, January 2000

None of these tribulations deterred spectators in the least. The ancient Olympics remained immensely popular, the greatest recurring event in antiquity, from 776 b.c. (when Hercules himself was said to have founded them) until a ban on pagan festivals by Christian emperor Theodosius I in the fourth century a.d. ensured their demise—a spectacular thousand-year run. —Leigh Steinberg, Civilization, June/July 2000

Some potential buyers will be deterred by the price.

Painting the metal will deter rust.

Recent Examples on the Web

But unlike past Dodgers teams that flamed out in the playoffs, this year’s group never deterred, bonding together through clubhouse meetings and player-only bus rides and cross-country flights in which even their families weren’t allowed. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

That didn’t deter Hibbs or the Chino Valley Unified school board. —Gretchen Smail, Them, 31 Oct. 2024

Patrols have been stepped up around ballot box sites to deter further incidents. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Letting anger get the better of you will deter you from reaching your goals. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin deterrēre, from de- + terrēre to frighten — more at terror

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

deter

verb

de·​ter di-ˈtər 

deterred; deterring

1

: to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting

wasn't deterred by the threats

2

: inhibit sense 2

painting to deter rust

determent

-ˈtər-mənt 

noun