deter
Americanverb (used with object)
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to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding.
The large dog deterred trespassers.
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to prevent; check; arrest.
timber treated with creosote to deter rot.
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to repel.
Strongly scented marigolds planted among the melons are supposed to deter beetles.
verb
Other Word Forms
- determent noun
- deterrability noun
- deterrable adjective
- deterrer noun
- undeterrability noun
- undeterrable adjective
- undeterrably adverb
- undeterring adjective
Etymology
Origin of deter
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin dēterrēre “to discourage, put off, frighten,” equivalent to dē-, prefix and preposition + terrēre “to frighten, scare”; de-
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.
Its conclusion served as a red flag that deterred some parts of the Pentagon from using Grok, the people said.
“Our fruits and vegetables are grown naturally using time-tested methods like companion planting, selecting plant combinations that naturally deter pests and enrich the soil.”
From Los Angeles Times
While consumer inflation excluding fresh food continued to slow, “the results are unlikely to deter the BOJ from raising interest rates further,” he said.
Owner Michael Dawson, who employs about a hundred staff across three cafes and pubs - "young people, local people" - also has little time for policies which deter second homes and holiday lets.
From BBC
"We're committed to deterring and finding the bad actors, manipulators, and those who willingly cheat."
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
