Definition of deterrent - Merriam-Webster

1 : serving to discourage, prevent, or inhibit : serving to deter The ads had a deterrent effect on youth smoking. 2 : relating to deterrence a deterrent view ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut deterrent adjective SaveWord de·​ter·​rent |\di-ˈtər-ənt ,-ˈter-;-ˈtə-rənt,-ˈte-;dē-\ Definitionofdeterrent 1 :servingtodiscourage,prevent,orinhibit:servingtodeter Theadshadadeterrenteffectonyouthsmoking. 2 :relatingtodeterrence adeterrentviewofpunishment OtherWordsfromdeterrent MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutdeterrent OtherWordsfromdeterrent deterrent noun deterrently adverb ExamplesofdeterrentinaSentence RecentExamplesontheWeb Andwhenperpetratorswalkfree,thedeterrenteffectofthejusticesystemisunderminedbyagrowingawarenessthatcrimesarelikelytogounpunished. — JamesCross,NationalReview,27July2021 The$700billionfigureisonthehigherendofpublicestimatesofwhatisplausible,andthoselargerestimatesassumesustainedeffortsandadeterrenteffectoftougherenforcement. — RichardRubin,WSJ,27Apr.2021 This,thepaper’sauthorssuggest,isbecauseanydeterrenteffectisoutweighedbytheeffectsonmisdemeanants’labor-marketprospects. — CharlesFainLehman,NationalReview,18Apr.2021 CaseslikeChauvin’scouldalsohaveadeterrenteffect,someexpertssaid. — WashingtonPost,6Apr.2021 PitcavagewarnedthatanydeterrenteffectinthearrestsofCapitolattackerswillhavetobebolsteredbyfollow-throughprosecution. — cleveland,21Feb.2021 Expertssaidthosedecisions,plusthedeterrenteffectoftheaggressivesecurityresponse,maybeenoughtoavoidarepeatofthechaosattheU.S.Capitol. — WashingtonPost,16Jan.2021 Rhoadessaidswornpoliceofficershaveadeterrenteffectoncrime—forinstance,tokeepwatchwhengangmemberscomeintheER. — jsonline.com,15Dec.2020 Policeagenciesoftenannouncecheckpointsinadvancetoprotectthemselvesfromlegalramificationsandbecausesomestudiesshowthepracticehasadeterrenteffectondrivingundertheinfluence. — JeanneHouck,TheEnquirer,13Sep.2020 Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'deterrent.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. SeeMore FirstKnownUseofdeterrent 1829,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyfordeterrent Latindeterrent-,deterrens,presentparticipleofdeterrēretodeter LearnMoreAboutdeterrent Sharedeterrent PosttheDefinitionofdeterrenttoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofdeterrentonTwitter TimeTravelerfordeterrent Thefirstknownuseofdeterrentwas in1829 Seemorewordsfromthesameyear DictionaryEntriesNeardeterrent deterrence deterrent detersive SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsfordeterrent Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Deterrent.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deterrent.Accessed15Nov.2021. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsfordeterrent deterrent noun de·​ter·​rent |\di-ˈtər-ənt,-ˈter-\ KidsDefinitionofdeterrent :somethingthatmakessomeonedecidenottodosomething Thealarmisadeterrentagainsttheft. MorefromMerriam-Websterondeterrent Thesaurus:Allsynonymsandantonymsfordeterrent Nglish:TranslationofdeterrentforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofdeterrentforArabicSpeakers WORDOFTHEDAY wormhole SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary DogWordsQuiz Whichofthefollowinganimalshasadoginitsetymology? cat canary eel hippo Testyourvocabularywithour10-questionquiz! TAKETHEQUIZ SubscribetoAmerica'slargestdictionaryandgetthousandsmoredefinitionsandadvancedsearch—adfree! Merriam-Websterunabridged WordsatPlay “InVinoVeritas”andOtherLatinPhrasestoLiveBy Top10LatinPhrases 'Between'or'Among':Whichiscorrect? Justbetweenus:it'scomplicated. Merriam-Webster'sGreatBigListofBeautifulandUselessWords,Vol.2 Moregreatwords,manyquitepointless. 13VerbsFromTheBreakfastTable Verbsyou'llfindonthebrunchmenu AsktheEditors 'Everyday'vs.'EveryDay' Asimpletricktokeepthemseparate WhatIs'SemanticBleaching'? How'literally'canmean"figuratively" Literally Howtouseawordthat(literally)drivessomepe... IsSingular'They'aBetterChoice? Theawkwardcaseof'hisorher' WordGames NameThatEmotion It'sawholemood Takethequiz FallBackintoOurAutumnQuiz Whydowecalltheseason‘fall’? Takethequiz HowStrongIsYourVocabulary? Testyourvocabularywithour10-questionquiz! Takethequiz