deterrent

Language: en

🇬🇧 /dɪˈtɛrənt/ 🇺🇸 /dɪˈtɜrrənt/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    Something that discourages or prevents someone from doing something, especially through fear of consequences.; A military weapon or force, especially nuclear weapons, intended to prevent attack by the threat of retaliation.
  2. adjective
    Serving to deter or discourage; having the quality of preventing an action.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: deterrents

Collocations

nuclear deterrentstrong deterrentact as a deterrentserve as a deterrenteffective deterrentdeterrent effect

Derivatives

deterdeterrencedeterrently

Synonyms

disincentivedeterrenceobstaclehindrancediscouragement

Antonyms

incentiveencouragementinducement

Commonly confused

deterrence
EN: 'Deterrence' is the abstract concept or act of deterring; 'deterrent' is the specific thing that deters.
deter
EN: 'Deter' is the verb meaning to discourage or prevent; 'deterrent' is the noun or adjective form.

Spelling tips

EN: Note the double 'r' in 'deterrent' and the ending '-ent' (not '-ant'). Do not confuse with 'deterrence' which ends in '-ence'.

💬 Examples

  1. The presence of security cameras acts as a deterrent to crime.

  2. The country maintained a nuclear deterrent throughout the Cold War.

  3. The government imposed deterrent penalties to reduce tax evasion.