ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsDdeter
ISEE/SSAThard
deter
Meaning: to discourage someone from doing something, typically through fear or difficulty
deter in a sentence
How deter is used in real sentences:
Bright floodlights deter burglars from approaching the house at night.
The warning sign did little to deter hikers from climbing the unstable cliff.
“Ignoring the shortage might turn the entire order into a fiasco, yet fear of embarrassment did not deter her from calling Mr.”
— from the passage Before Sunrise
Synonyms for deter
Other words for deter — discourage and dissuade — carry the same meaning.
- discourage
- dissuade
Antonyms of deter
Words that mean the opposite of deter:
- encourage
- incite
Where it comes from
From Latin deterrere, from de- 'away' + terrere 'to frighten'
Memory hook
DE-TER — TERrify someone enough to make them back away.