deterrent
noun/dɪˈterənt/
/dɪˈtɜːrənt/
- something that makes somebody less likely to do something (= that deters them)
- deterrent to somebody/something Hopefully his punishment will act as a deterrent to others.
- deterrent against something a deterrent against cheating
Extra Examplessee also nuclear deterrent- Defenders of the death penalty regard it as the ultimate deterrent.
- The bodies of executed criminals were hung on the city gates as a deterrent.
- There is no effective deterrent for these young criminals.
- a deterrent to all but the most determined attacker
- a deterrent to crime
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- effective
- good
- great
- …
- act as
- be
- provide
- …
- effect
- as a deterrent
- deterrent against
- deterrent for
- …
Word Originearly 19th cent.: from Latin deterrent- ‘deterring’, from the verb deterrere, from de- ‘away from’ + terrere ‘frighten’.Want to learn more?
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deterrent