deterrence

noun

de·​ter·​rence di-ˈtər-ən(t)s  -ˈter- 

-ˈtə-rən(t)s, 

-ˈte-;

dē-

: the act or process of deterring: such as

a

: the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment

b

: the maintenance of military power for the purpose of discouraging attack

nuclear deterrence

Examples of deterrence in a Sentence

The author argues that deterrence is no longer the best way to prevent war.

Recent Examples on the Web

The horses help with search and rescues, crowd control, law enforcement, crime deterrence and more. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026

However, Japan’s decision to equip its ships with long-range missiles signals its broader effort to strengthen deterrence and maintain a credible counterstrike capability in the event of a potential attack. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 29 Mar. 2026

America has already achieved an important objective by restoring credibility to our deterrence since military power is worthless if adversaries don’t believe this power will ever be employed. —Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2026

The group was created by Shia Lebanese with heavy Iranian support, and Tehran has since viewed the group as a critical part of its deterrence vis-à-vis Israel. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see deter

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deterrence

• concurrence
• incurrence
• occurrence
• recurrence
• transference
• coinsurance
• countertransference

Kids Definition

deterrence

noun

de·​ter·​rence di-ˈtər-ən(t)s  -ˈter- 

: the act, process, or capability of deterring

Medical Definition

deterrence

noun

de·​ter·​rence

di-ˈtər-ən(t)s, -ˈter-; -ˈtə-rən(t)s; dē-

: the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment

Legal Definition

deterrence

noun

de·​ter·​rence di-ˈtər-əns, -ˈter- 

: the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment