as in deterrent
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as in dissuading
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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Recent Examples of deterring
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 12 June 2026
How to Prevent Gnats Outside There are several methods for naturally deterring gnats.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026
Growing the following pest-deterring plants in pots or in your garden can naturally deter flies, and potentially mosquitoes too.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026
Meanwhile, Lithuania, along with Estonia, Latvia and Poland, has existing or planned defense programs along NATO’s eastern flank, aimed in part at deterring potential Russian or Belarusian military incursions.
—Tatsiana Kulakevich, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Officials were also focusing on deterring counterfeit-ticket sellers, drunk driving, fights and hate crimes.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 1 June 2026
Silver price gains of around 140% last year have been deterring buyers in various industries and its elevated price levels are beginning to weigh on demand, UBS said in a note published on May 22.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 28 May 2026
And so the Lord imposed a panoply of tongues, thereby deterring the creation of any new technology that might aspire to divine power and glory.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Plus, sticker shock may be deterring travelers from making the trip.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 May 2026
Verb
Baltimore has a similar strategy in place with the goal of deterring youth crime in the summer.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 12 June 2026
How to Prevent Gnats Outside There are several methods for naturally deterring gnats.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026
Growing the following pest-deterring plants in pots or in your garden can naturally deter flies, and potentially mosquitoes too.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026
Meanwhile, Lithuania, along with Estonia, Latvia and Poland, has existing or planned defense programs along NATO’s eastern flank, aimed in part at deterring potential Russian or Belarusian military incursions.
—Tatsiana Kulakevich, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Officials were also focusing on deterring counterfeit-ticket sellers, drunk driving, fights and hate crimes.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 1 June 2026
Silver price gains of around 140% last year have been deterring buyers in various industries and its elevated price levels are beginning to weigh on demand, UBS said in a note published on May 22.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 28 May 2026
And so the Lord imposed a panoply of tongues, thereby deterring the creation of any new technology that might aspire to divine power and glory.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Plus, sticker shock may be deterring travelers from making the trip.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deterring
Adjective
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Will blowing up boats stop fentanyl deaths in the U.S.? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, has said Trump's military strikes near Venezuela are already having a deterrent effect on drug cartels.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
31 Dec. 2025
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This team has neither a point-of-attack defense on the perimeter nor a true deterrent interior presence.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pablo Andres Aguilera Mora, 46, is being held in the Santa Clara County Main Jail for criminal charges including murder, assault with a deadly weapon, dissuading a witness and contempt of court, according to court records.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
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Several recent papers suggest that the rent-control scheme might even be making the housing shortage worse in some places by causing landlords to take units off the rental market and dissuading developers from building.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Similarly, pro-Iran militias in Iran could continue attacks on Gulf nations, including oil ports, possibly discouraging some shipowners from sending tankers into the area, especially the northern Gulf.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Many Christians seek to keep a hostile world at bay by discouraging inquiry and critical thinking, by empowering theological enforcers, and by drawing narrow doctrinal boundaries.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deterring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deterring. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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