Deterrent Meaning
/dɪˈtɛɹənt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjServing to deter, preventing something from happening.
nounSomething that deters.
Sentence Examples
The law's harsh sentence is a deterrent against drinking and driving.
Judge Salvador was of the school that thought stiff sentences were a deterrent.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
A severe punishment can act as an effective ____ for potential criminals.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The law's harsh sentence is a ____ against drinking and driving.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Latin dēterrēns, dēterrentemlbor. English deterrent Learned borrowing from Latin dēterrēns, dēterrentem.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"An extension of the system to serve new housing estates on the outskirts of the city, at an estimated cost of about £4,000,000 a mile, is being considered, but the narrow gauge, small clearances, and short platforms are deterrents."
— 1955 January, Charles E. Lee, “The Glasgow Underground Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 23:
"Along with trial by ordeal, hanging was the most effective deterrent that could be devised in an age without police or prisons."
— 1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 175:
"The salarians believed the genophage would be used as a deterrent, a position the turians viewed as naive. Once the project was complete, the turians mass produced and deployed it. The krogan homeworld, their colonies, and all occupied worlds were infected."
— 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Krogan: Genophage Codex entry:
"One argument made by proponents of the death penalty is that it is a strong deterrent to murder and other violent crimes, but evidence shows just the opposite. Whereas the last execution in Canada took place in 1962, in 2011 there were 598 murders in Canada and 14,610 in the United States."
— 2014, Jimmy Carter, “Full Prisons and Legal Killing”, in A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 38:
"All is well until Treorchy, where the platform is swamped by teenagers who have been attending an event. Around four dozen unescorted 12 to 16 year-olds swarm aboard and begin to run riot through the train. Their behaviour is appalling and the presence of CCTV no deterrent."
— 2024 November 13, Paul Bigland, “Much to admire... but pockets of neglect”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 48:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A severe punishment can act as an effective ____ for potential criminals.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The law's harsh sentence is a ____ against drinking and driving.