deterrent

deterrent — noun

1. Something that stops people from taking a particular action by making them worry

1.nounB2
Definition

Something that stops people from taking a particular action by making them worry about the problems or punishments that could follow.

Example

Lakan set up a neighbourhood watch group as a deterrent against local theft.

deterrent against — used with crime-prevention measures

Amani noticed the speed bumps served as a deterrent to drivers who went too fast on her street.

deterrent to — used with people who might act

Common collocations
  • powerful deterrent
  • effective deterrent
  • major deterrent
  • nuclear deterrent
  • act as a deterrent
  • serve as a deterrent
Synonyms
  • disincentive

    more formal; focuses on economic or practical discouragement, e.g. higher taxes as a disincentive to smoking

  • obstacle

    broader — anything that blocks progress, not necessarily through fear of consequences

  • hindrance

    implies slowing down rather than completely stopping an action

Antonyms
  • incentive

    something that encourages or motivates action

Grammar Patterns

deterrent against + noun phrase

deterrent to + noun phrase (someone or an action)

Usage Note

Frequently used in the pattern 'act as / serve as a deterrent to/against'. The object following 'deterrent to' is typically a person or an action; 'deterrent against' is more common with impersonal issues such as crime or theft.

Common Mistakes

The alarm was a deterrent for burglars.
The alarm was a deterrent to burglars.
'deterrent' takes 'to' or 'against', not 'for', when introducing what is being prevented.

deterrent — adjective

Word family

  • deter
    verbB2
  • deterrence
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something that makes an action harder to do, but they differ in how they work. A deterrent stops people by making them afraid of consequences — prison sentences are meant as deterrents to crime. A disincentive is more specific to economic or practical discouragement, such as a tax increase that makes an activity more expensive. An obstacle is a physical or abstract barrier that blocks progress entirely, like a fallen tree across a road. A hindrance slows things down without necessarily stopping them — a slow internet connection is a hindrance to work. For example: 'The high fine was a deterrent to speeding, but the roadworks were just a temporary hindrance.'

deterrent ↗disincentiveobstacle ↗hindrance ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • act as a deterrent
  • serve as a deterrent
  • have a deterrent effect

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Comes from Latin 'deterrēre', where 'de-' means 'away from' and 'terrēre' means 'to frighten'. So the original meaning is 'to frighten away'. The word entered English in the 16th century and was first used in military and legal contexts before spreading to everyday use.