deterrence
n.n. the act of stopping someone from doing something by making them fear the consequences. It is often used to describe how a strong army or a strict punishment keeps people from committing a crime.
n. the prevention of an action through the threat of punishment or the presence of a more attractive alternative. Often used in political or legal contexts to describe the strategic use of force to prevent conflict.
The threat of a heavy fine serves as a strong deterrence.
The government increased the number of police patrols to act as a deterrent against petty crime in the city center.
The theory of nuclear deterrence relies on the principle that the potential for total annihilation is the only force capable of preventing a nation from initiating a first strike.
From the stem of deterrent + -ence.