deterrent
/dɪˈterənt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈtɜːrənt/ (ame, ipa) · /dɪˈter.ənt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈter.ənt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈtər-ənt -ˈter-; -ˈtə-rənt, -ˈte-; dē-/ (ame, mw)
deterrent — noun
- deterrentsingular
- deterrentsplural
1. Something that stops people from taking a particular action by making them worry
Something that stops people from taking a particular action by making them worry about the problems or punishments that could follow.
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
Ryo's parents hoped the curfew would be a deterrent to late-night parties at their house.
For Chiara and her colleagues, the threat of job loss was a powerful deterrent to speaking publicly.
Some local governments see higher parking fees as a better deterrent than extra police patrols.
- 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
- incentive
something that encourages or motivates action
文法句型
deterrent against + noun phrase
deterrent to + noun phrase (someone or an action)
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
deterrent — adjective
- deterrentpositive
- more deterrentcomparative
- most deterrentsuperlative
1. Designed to discourage an action by showing that the risks or punishments make i
Designed to discourage an action by showing that the risks or punishments make it not worth doing.
The city council introduced deterrent measures to stop people from parking on the pavement.
deterrent measures — common collocation
Amani believed the deterrent effect of the security cameras was stronger than the actual fines.
deterrent effect — common collocation
Sivan wondered whether the new school rules would have any real deterrent value.
The government saw higher taxes on cigarettes as a deterrent policy aimed at reducing smoking.
Felipe noticed the signs had little deterrent power over teenagers using the path at night.
- discouraging
less formal and broader; can apply to any loss of confidence, not just fear of consequences
- dissuasive
more formal and less common; focuses on persuasion against an action
- cautionary
stresses the warning element, e.g. a cautionary tale
- encouraging
giving hope or confidence to act
文法句型
deterrent + noun (effect / measure / policy / strategy / value)
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively before a noun (e.g. 'deterrent effect', 'deterrent measure'). It is not commonly used predicatively — native speakers rarely say 'the effect was deterrent'; instead they use 'the effect acted as a deterrent'.