verb
deter
dih-TUR
verb
1
To discourage someone from doing something, usually through fear of a consequence.
"The high fence is meant to deter trespassers."
"Bad weather didn't deter the runners from finishing the race."
How to Use Deter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo put someone off doing something, usually by making it seem risky or unappealing.
Common pairings
deter crime
deter someone from
fail to deter
Word Forms
deterred past tense, Deters plural, deters singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “deter”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The high fence is meant to _____ trespassers.
Etymology
From Latin deterrere, "to frighten away" — from de- ("away") and terrere ("to frighten").