deterverb [ T ]
uk/dɪˈtɜːr/us/dɪˈtɝː/-rr-to prevent someone from doing something or to make someone less enthusiastic about doing something by making it difficult for that person to do it or by threatening bad results if they do it:
These measures are designed to deter an enemy attack.
High prices are deterring many young people from buying houses.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preventing and impeding
- avert
- avoid
- avoidable
- bar
- be a drag on sb/sth idiom
- block sth out
- blot
- bottleneck
- derail
- fireproof
- hold out on sb
- hold sb/sth back
- holding pattern
- impede
- impedimenta
- prevention is better than cure idiom
- preventive
- prohibit
- pull
- pull the rug from under sb's feet idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Discouraging and putting off