DETER Synonyms: 16 Similar and Opposite Words

deter

verb

di-ˈtər

Definition of deter

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deter For example, Eritrea could support the armed alliance to deter the Ethiopian government from pursuing access to the sea through the Eritrean port of Assab. — Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 But Darius is not deterred, and keeps trying to make the shot. — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Sep. 2026 Just like against North Carolina, the penalties often deterred the momentum of offensive drives. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2026 The United States is obligated by law to provide Taiwan with sufficient hardware to deter any armed attack from the mainland. — Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deter

Verb

In May, Cloobeck was arrested and charged with three counts of attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying and one count of harassment for making annoying phone calls, according to a criminal complaint.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
The ease with which Murray operated on the field, even amid all of the developing noise, didn’t dissuade anyone from those initial impressions.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of dissuade

Verb

In response, Cobb County police plan to increase patrols on and around the holiday and other departments are discouraging participation.

— Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 3 Oct. 2026
The combination of higher rates and short supply discourages current homeowners from moving, especially those who locked in mortgages at affordably low interest rates.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of discourage

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detentions

deter

deterge

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“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of deter

verb

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