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
America’s leadership in the Middle East has shaped the region in ways that have massively benefited Israel: deterring and coercing Iran, neutralizing the Islamic State and other terrorists, and conciliating moderate Arab states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
—
Daniel Byman, The Atlantic, 24 May 2025
Such opportunistic aggression has occurred regularly throughout history, such as when America focused heavily on deterring a Soviet invasion of Europe but was then surprised and unprepared ...
—Mark Melton, National Review, 23 May 2025
Indeed, far from deterring the Pakistani military, India’s attacks may suggest to the generals that their provocative strategy is working.
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2025
This message may be designed to deter migrants from coming at all.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Daniel Byman, The Atlantic, 24 May 2025
Such opportunistic aggression has occurred regularly throughout history, such as when America focused heavily on deterring a Soviet invasion of Europe but was then surprised and unprepared ...
—Mark Melton, National Review, 23 May 2025
Indeed, far from deterring the Pakistani military, India’s attacks may suggest to the generals that their provocative strategy is working.
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2025
This message may be designed to deter migrants from coming at all.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter
Verb
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That amount would likely not be enough to dissuade migrants from coming to the United States because the economic opportunity is clearly not available in Mexico, and there really is nowhere else to go.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
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That was a difficult time but did not dissuade Buchanan from running for reelection in 2023.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Dimon, a heavyweight of traditional finance, has consistently used his perch to discourage regular investors and other financial leaders from getting involved.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
20 May 2025
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To discourage thieves and curiosity seekers, two feet of concrete was poured over his casket.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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