Word
deterrence
Phoneticsde·ter·rence
US/dɪˈtɝəns/
UK/dɪtˈɜːɹəns/
Definition
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.
Examples
“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.”
Examples
simple
“The threat of a heavy fine serves as a strong deterrence.”
contextual
“The government increased the number of police patrols to act as a deterrent against petty crime in the city center.”
complex
“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.”
Real-World Examples
“That, plus the heavy weight, should provide significant theft deterrence, but the Olto’s kickstand also has a place to use a more traditional lock to fasten it to something.” “Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) told The Associated Press news agency that the US had justified the practice as a form of deterrence.” Etymology
From the stem of deterrent + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/deterrence