deter

deter — verb

1. to make someone unwilling to follow through on a plan or action, typically by hi

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make someone unwilling to follow through on a plan or action, typically by highlighting the difficulties, risks, or unpleasant outcomes that it would bring

Example

The high cost of insurance deterred Quinn from starting his own trucking company.

deter + object + from + -ing

A network of security cameras deters thieves from trying to steal cars in this lot.

Common collocations
  • deter someone from doing something
  • deterred by the cost / risk / difficulty
  • deter crime / theft / cheating
  • nothing could deter
  • easily deterred
Synonyms
  • discourage

    more general and slightly less forceful than deter; can describe any loss of confidence

  • dissuade

    more formal; focuses on persuading someone not to act, often through reasoning rather than threats

  • prevent

    stronger — implies actual blockage or stopping rather than making someone unwilling

  • inhibit

    more formal; suggests an internal or psychological restraint rather than an external threat

Antonyms
  • encourage

    to give someone the confidence or motivation to do something

  • persuade

    to convince someone to take a course of action

Grammar Patterns

deter + person + from + doing something

be deterred + by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive (be deterred by) when the focus is on the obstacle rather than the person being stopped. The most common syntactic pattern is deter + object + from + verb-ing. This verb is rarely used with a that-clause or a simple infinitive.

Common Mistakes

The bad weather deterred him to go outside.
The bad weather deterred him from going outside.
Deter must be followed by from + gerund, not an infinitive.
I deterred that he would fail.
I deterred him from making a risky investment.
Deter takes a person as its object, not a that-clause.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words relate to stopping someone from acting, but they differ in force and mechanism. Deter works through fear or perceived cost — the threat of punishment, failure, or difficulty makes the person unwilling to proceed. Discourage is gentler: it describes any reduction in confidence or enthusiasm, not necessarily from an external threat. Dissuade is more deliberate and verbal — you talk someone out of a plan using arguments rather than obstacles. Prevent is the strongest: it implies actual blockage, not just unwillingness. Inhibit is the most formal and often describes internal restraints (shyness, social pressure). For example: 'The high price deterred her from buying — she could afford it but felt it was too risky.' vs. 'Her friend dissuaded her from buying it by pointing out the flaws.' vs. 'The lock prevented anyone from opening the door.'

discourage ↗dissuadeprevent ↗inhibit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • deter someone from doing something
  • nothing could deter
  • be deterred by

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'deterrēre', a combination of 'de-' (away from) and 'terrēre' (to frighten). The original sense was 'to frighten away'. It entered English through French in the 1500s and gradually broadened from physical fright to any kind of discouragement.