deterrent
something that discourages or prevents a particular action or behavior
Word origin: From Latin deterrere, to frighten away, from terrere, to frighten.
Deterrent in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing deterrent in a sentence.
Harsh sentencing was introduced as a deterrent against repeat offenses.
Stiffer fines proved to be only a modest deterrent to drivers who calculated the odds of being caught.
Quick GRE check
3 questions, about 2 minutes. How would you do on the real test?
Verbal · Text Completion
Although the senator's memoir was marketed as a frank reckoning with his failures, reviewers found it relentlessly blank, dwelling on grievances and recasting every setback as the fault of his adversaries.
Using “deterrent” well
A deterrent is something that discourages an action by raising its cost or risk, pairing with disincentive and impediment. It works through discouragement rather than physical prevention.
More GRE words starting with D
to engage in something superficially or as a casual pastime
a raised platform for speakers or honored guests
to waste time or act without urgency
to make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong
marked with spots or patches of color or light
to intimidate or discourage with fear or doubt
to move slowly or waste time idly
a scarcity or shortage of something
Questions about “deterrent”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Take the free 39-minute GRE Quick Mock Test and meet words like this inside real Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions, with a worked solution for every answer.