as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the homeowner put up a fence around his garden as a deterrent for animals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in preventive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deterrent
Robert Goulder, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Vale responded by arguing that Trump's frauds impacted consumers by inserting false and misleading information into the marketplace, and that Trump's fine has a deterrent effect.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2024
By Yian Lee / Bloomberg September 20, 2024 4:10 AM EDT
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court upheld the legality of the death penalty but moved to limit its use, in a decision that strikes a balance between keeping the punishment’s deterrent effect and preventing its abuse.
—Yian Lee / Bloomberg, TIME, 20 Sep. 2024
And for many soldiers, the threat of termination was deterrent enough.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deterrent
Adjective
The First Circuit agreed with the lower court, holding that FBAR penalties — acknowledged to be partly deterrent in nature — are not subject to the constitutional protection against excessive fines.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Vale responded by arguing that Trump's frauds impacted consumers by inserting false and misleading information into the marketplace, and that Trump's fine has a deterrent effect.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2024
By Yian Lee / Bloomberg September 20, 2024 4:10 AM EDT
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court upheld the legality of the death penalty but moved to limit its use, in a decision that strikes a balance between keeping the punishment’s deterrent effect and preventing its abuse.
—Yian Lee / Bloomberg, TIME, 20 Sep. 2024
And for many soldiers, the threat of termination was deterrent enough.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deterrent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deterrent
Noun
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Powered by Adelaide, Forbes AI Running a company means facing obstacles that shake your foundation.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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Perhaps the biggest obstacle to bilateral relations is Ms. Hasina, whom India refuses to hand over to Bangladesh to stand trial on charges of corruption and human rights abuses.—
Simon Montlake,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Fluoride is especially important to young children whose teeth are developing and who may have relied on fluoride in the water as their only source of preventive dental care.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2025
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The company regularly highlights internal data showing that these members have fewer hospital admissions and higher engagement in preventive care.—
Seth Joseph,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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That can include language hurdles, arranging child care or elder care, and significant differences in national pension or retirement programs.—
Christina Larson,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025
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President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and policy bill clears one hurdle.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Noun
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As far as the lack of democratization, the current state of supply chains presents a high barrier to entry for small businesses who want to integrate with larger retailers or access global networks.—
Shekar Natarajan,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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Use waterproof barriers, such as special ointments or creams, to protect the skin from direct contact with water.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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After two years of defensive decline, Arenado is back to reminding the baseball world why he’s won 10 Gold Gloves.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
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While Robinson isn't the strongest offensive threat on the floor, his defensive prowess more than makes up for everything.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 May 2025
Noun
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Federal prosecutors charged Dugan in April with obstruction and concealing an individual to prevent arrest.—
Todd Richmond,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
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The Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s aggressive use of the obstruction charges.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2025
Noun
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But this latest exchange had a far less satisfying denouement: an uncertain military outcome and a diplomatic embarrassment, in the eyes of Modi’s nationalist base.—
Vaibhav Vats,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2025
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Houston has lost its last six against the Ravens, including last year’s 31-2 embarrassment on Christmas Day.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deterrent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deterrent. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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