deter
Americanverb (used with object)
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deters,
present (3rd person singular)
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deterred,
past participle, past
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deterring
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
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determentnoun
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deterrabilitynoun
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deterrernoun
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undeterrabilitynoun
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deterrableadjective
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undeterrableadjective
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undeterringadjective
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undeterrablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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detersimple
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deterssimple
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have deterredperfect
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has deterredperfect
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am deterringprogressive
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are deterringprogressive
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is deterringprogressive
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have been deterringperfect progressive
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has been deterringperfect progressive
Past
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deterredsimple
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had deterredperfect
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was deterringprogressive
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were deterringprogressive
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had been deterringperfect progressive
Future
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”; see de-
Explanation
Deter means to discourage, or literally “to frighten away.” Halloween decorations that are too scary might deter trick-or-treaters, and the risk of being expelled deters kids from cheating in school. Deter comes from the Latin de meaning "away" and terrere meaning "frighten." Something that deters isn’t always scary, though: citronella plants deter mosquitoes, and fines deter people from littering. Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy dictum "speak softly and carry a big stick" was meant to deter other countries from attacking the United States.
Vocabulary lists containing deter
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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.
See Examples For:
Don’t let a fancy offer document bedazzle you and deter your due diligence.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
In September, she also reopened a scheme to resettle refugees in the UK, saying she hoped that offering "safe and legal" routes would deter small boat crossings.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
"Our aim by increasing investment in national defence is not to provoke, rather, it is to deter war," President Lai Ching-te said in speech to celebrate Taiwan's National Day.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
Georgetown’s Marguerite Roza says income-verification requirements may deter public-school students from applying for funds, since they’re more likely to use it for small-dollar fees and it may not be worth the paperwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
The fairy possesses a weak brand of magic that it may use to deter predators, such as the Augurey.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
That’s what “nuclear deterrence” is all about; the possession of nuclear weapons deters others from behaving aggressively.
From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2026
I think some of that deters people from coming to downtown even if you have a cool place and a cool party,” Origin’s co-founder Roni Mehrabian said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
He said this was because the changes were "fraught with hoops you have to jump through" that "deters a lot of people from even bothering".
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
“Not only is it the most expensive route, but it also deters from your actual mission, and so I decided that I would go down that path and build it.”
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
The others have turned pale; let’s hope it deters them.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
But Warsame isn’t deterred, seeing “at least two movies a week” and hoping for more rereleases of studio films and midnight movies of all kinds.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
William Amaya added that he is a graduate of Franklin and there used to be one or more officers on campus who broke up fights and deterred others with their presence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
"We need protection, abusers have to be deterred."
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
The ICC said it would not be deterred by the U.S. sanctions and will continue to fully discharge its mandate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Not to be deterred, he used himself as a specimen, just like Jenny, and made observations.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Far from deterring jihadists, it would serve as a YouTube recruiting video.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
The sight of vacant shops and graffiti can quickly become a vicious circle, deterring shoppers, discouraging investment and leading to anti-social behaviour.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
The Air Force disclosure is crucial to deterring attacks on U.S. satellites.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
That begs the question of why they were performed, other than raw intimidation, deterring would-be whistleblowers, and punishing the disloyal.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
It can patrol there with its big old horns, deterring burglars and such.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
