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The Fearful History of Deter
The word deter is rooted in fear. It was borrowed into English around the mid-16th century from the Latin verb deterrēre, which in turn was formed by combining de-, meaning "from" or "away," with terrēre, meaning "to frighten." Terrēre is also the source of terror, terrible, and even terrific, which originally meant "very bad" or "frightful." These days, you may be deterred by something that frightens you or by something that simply causes you to think about the difficult or unpleasant consequences of continuing. Things, as well as people, can be deterred: the word can also mean "to stop or limit something," as in "policies that aim to deter vandalism."
Examples of deter in a Sentence
Justin Fox, Time, 1 Dec. 2008
For some species that deter attack by being poisonous, the goal of their physical appearance is not to hide or confuse other forest creatures, but to be noticed.
—Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005
Originally developed to monitor and track cattle, radio frequency identification (RFID) is now the cutting edge in merchandise, parcel, and baggage tracking. It's debuting in stores and libraries across the country as the most effective way to track inventory and deter theft without making consumers feel like they're in a war zone.
—Athan Bezaaitis, PC Magazine, January 2000
None of these tribulations deterred spectators in the least. The ancient Olympics remained immensely popular, the greatest recurring event in antiquity, from 776 b.c. (when Hercules himself was said to have founded them) until a ban on pagan festivals by Christian emperor Theodosius I in the fourth century a.d. ensured their demise—a spectacular thousand-year run.
—Leigh Steinberg, Civilization, June/July 2000
Some potential buyers will be deterred by the price.
Painting the metal will deter rust.
David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
Donald Trump Ahead in Just One Swing State: Final NYT-Siena Poll
In previous elections, Republicans have benefited from poor weather, which often deters voters less committed to voting, who tend to lean Democratic.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Weather can deter voters who may see long lines at polling places on Election Day.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024
Police also allegedly recovered materials consistent with drug smuggling from the home — such as chemicals typically used to deter drug-sniffing dogs — and say that several of the people who cleaned out the home were suspected of selling fentanyl in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deter 
Dictionary Entries Near deter
Cite this Entry
“Deter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deter. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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deter
verb
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