deterrentde‧ter‧rent /dɪˈterənt $ -ˈtɜːr-/ ●○○ noun [countable] 
The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent.deterrent to/for/against Window locks are an effective deterrent against burglars. the deterrent effect of prison sentences2nuclear deterrent the nuclear weapons that a country has in order to prevent other countries from attacking it—deterrence noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Experts do not agree about whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent.
- The fines are large enough to be an effective deterrent against speeding.
- The small fines for copying software were not much of a deterrent.
- The special paint is meant to be a deterrent to graffiti artists.
- Window locks are a cheap and effective deterrent.
- Also unclear is whether execution by lethal injection will have any effect on the death penalty as a crime deterrent.
- And not only that, but they pass on their chemical deterrent through the pupal stage into the adult moth itself.
- As in human warfare, chemical defences are essentially deterrents rather than everyday weapons.
- It is a matter of regret that the Opposition's commitment to that deterrent is not generally accepted.
- Requiring drug tests of this discrete group of citizens is an intrusion, a humiliation and a subtle deterrent to prospective candidates.
- The bishops said the death penalty was not a deterrent to crime, had racist overtones and cost millions of dollars.
- This has proven to be a strong deterrent against theft.
- What's more, most people no longer believe the death penalty is a deterrent.
Longman Language Activatorsomething that persuades someone not to do something
something that makes people afraid to or less likely to do something: · Window locks are a cheap and effective deterrent.deterrent to: · The special paint is meant to be a deterrent to graffiti artists.deterrent against: · The fines are large enough to be an effective deterrent against speeding.act/serve as a deterrent: · Experts do not agree about whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent.
a disadvantage which makes people less willing to do something: · We're trying to attract more graduates into nursing, but the salary and hours are strong disincentives.disincentive to: · Raising taxes on unearned income would be a major disincentive to saving and investment.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent. the deterrent effect of prison sentencesCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent. the deterrent effect of prison sentences· By the autumn of 1959, the Chiefs of Staff had begun to doubt its viability as an effective deterrent.· It would, in the end, be a far more effective deterrent.· Is he satisfied that an effective deterrent system is in place to prevent their deployment?· Then punish the adulterous man as harshly, for that is just as effective a deterrent as punishing the woman.· Therefore, the designation of specially protected areas is perhaps quite effective as a deterrent.· The most effective deterrent, however, is that simple household substance, vinegar.· Manifestly, we have no effective deterrent for hooligan crime, or we would not be debating the issue.· Britain's credible and effective independent nuclear deterrent is the ultimate guarantee of our security.
· Will my right hon. Friend not stint in providing Britain with the best independent deterrent?· Britain's credible and effective independent nuclear deterrent is the ultimate guarantee of our security.· We are the only party unambiguously committed to the preservation and modernisation of our independent nuclear deterrent.
· I told him also that Britain's only strategic weapon would be the minimum deterrent constituted by Trident.· Indeed, his ambition is to move down now to a minimum deterrent.· His idea of a minimum deterrent is to maintain 2,500 warheads.· We will complete the deployment of the next generation of Britain's minimum nuclear deterrent.
· The nuclear deterrent has been very effective in ensuring the security of the west over the past 40 years.· Only when it comes to the nuclear deterrent or matters of top intelligence-gathering is the short-term commercial approach deliberately shelved.· To that extent, the nuclear deterrent is very good value for money.· That applies even to the minority in the Labour party who believe in the nuclear deterrent.· We will complete the deployment of the next generation of Britain's minimum nuclear deterrent.
NOUN· This section begins with a group of contrasts concerning the deterrent effects of markets and liability regimes.· They do not show that punishment has no deterrent effect on offenders, or that no offender is ever deterred.· But they suggest that overall, punishment has other effects which cancel out and even outweigh its deterrent effects.· The deterrent effect of our presence and continuous patrols in the busier yachting areas could not be discounted.· We need to have the deterrent effect this action would have.· He believes that the deterrent effect, which no longer seems to exist for young people, should be reinstated.· Now, there can be little doubt that the existence of a system of punishment has some general deterrent effect.
VERB· The black and white stripes of the skunks act as a powerful deterrent, even from a great distance.· In addition, divided catalogues or separate classified catalogues could also have acted as a deterrent to subject searching.· This sentence certainly will not act as a deterrent to other drunk drivers.· Whether that would act as a deterrent is, of course, another question altogether.· A half squadron of gendarmes has been stationed in Maripasoula, their presence supposedly acting as a deterrent.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1something that makes someone less likely to do something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results: - Both super-powers shared the instinct for self-preservation and negotiated continuously in search of credible systems of nuclear deterrents.
- Britain's credible and effective independent nuclear deterrent is the ultimate guarantee of our security.
- The Left called for the scrapping of our nuclear deterrent.
- The submarines play a key role in protecting ships and submarines armed with the Trident nuclear deterrent.
- They have twisted and turned in their attitude to our nuclear deterrent.
- To that extent, the nuclear deterrent is very good value for money.
- We are the only party unambiguously committed to the preservation and modernisation of our independent nuclear deterrent.
The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent.deterrent to/for/against Window locks are an effective deterrent against burglars. the deterrent effect of prison sentences2nuclear deterrent the nuclear weapons that a country has in order to prevent other countries from attacking it—deterrence noun [uncountable]