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
Johnson hopes plastering perpetrators' faces on the city website will deter them from illegally dumping.
—
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 9 July 2025
The city also launched a number of initiatives focused on deterring juvenile crime.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025
There are steps that Tennesseans can take to deter car thieves and steps to follow after an auto theft.
—Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 9 July 2025
This can deter casual applicants and lift offer-acceptance rates later as long as the content is accessible for all.
—Susan Lamotte, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 9 July 2025
The city also launched a number of initiatives focused on deterring juvenile crime.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025
There are steps that Tennesseans can take to deter car thieves and steps to follow after an auto theft.
—Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 9 July 2025
This can deter casual applicants and lift offer-acceptance rates later as long as the content is accessible for all.
—Susan Lamotte, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter
Verb
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White House officials say there isn’t an active effort underway to try and remove Powell, a longstanding Trump fixation that advisers have dissuaded him from pursuing due to significant concerns over legal constraints and market reaction.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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The presence of heavily armed Iranian proxies did not dissuade Israel from striking: Lebanese Hezbollah stayed on the sidelines when Israel launched its attack on Iran.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Verb
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To discourage ants from returning, inspect new plants, use a sticky barrier, or create a moat.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
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Get rid of brush piles, which may discourage them from hanging around to forage, says Pierce. Consider using grub control products on your lawn.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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