Meaning & use
deterrence
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableformal
The use of threats or penalties to stop people or countries from doing something harmful, because the cost looks too high.
Grammar: Uncountable: say deterrence works, not a deterrence.
Patterns
- deterrence against something
- a policy of deterrence
Strong punishments are meant to work as deterrence against theft.
Nuclear deterrence depends on both sides believing the threat is real.
Visible cameras offer a simple form of deterrence.
nouncountableformal
Something that makes people less willing to act, because they fear the result.
Grammar: Usually singular and used with a: a deterrence to crime, though deterrent is more common in this sense.
Patterns
- a deterrence to something
The high fine acted as a deterrence to dumping.
Lights around the building provide extra deterrence.
Fear of failure can be a deterrence to starting a business.
Common combinations
- nuclear deterrence
- Nuclear deterrence has shaped global politics since the 1950s.
- deterrence theory
- Deterrence theory assumes people weigh risks before acting.
- policy of deterrence
- The government adopted a policy of deterrence.
- effective deterrence
- Effective deterrence needs clear rules and consistent enforcement.
- crime deterrence
- Crime deterrence programs focus on prevention.
Synonyms and how they differ
- discouragement
- Discouragement is gentle and can be just words, while deterrence usually involves a real threat or penalty.
- prevention
- Prevention aims to stop something happening by any means, whereas deterrence works by scaring people off.
- dissuasion
- Dissuasion means persuading someone not to act, and relies on talking rather than threats.
- disincentive
- A disincentive is a particular thing that makes an action less attractive, while deterrence is the broader strategy or effect.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: deterrence or determination? deterrence or deterrent?
deterrence vs determination
Determination means firm purpose, and is not about discouraging anyone.
deterrence vs deterrent
A deterrent is the thing that discourages, whereas deterrence is the policy or the effect.
Practice
Which is an example of deterrence?
Choose one answer.
Deterrence works by making an action seem too costly, as a large fine does. A reward is an incentive, the opposite approach.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “deterrence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.