Word: deter

Associations

To "deter" means to discourage or prevent someone from doing something. It suggests a negative influence that stops someone from taking action.

• Example 1: "The high cost of college may deter students from applying." This means that the expensive tuition might stop students from wanting to go to college.
• Example 2: "The police presence can deter crime." Here, the visible police might make people think twice before committing a crime.
• Example 3: "Warnings about side effects can deter people from using a drug." This means that people might choose not to take the medicine because they are worried about the possible negative effects.

The word "prevent" is a synonym but is often used when something is stopped from happening entirely, while "deter" implies that someone still might consider doing it but is discouraged.

Substitution

Instead of "deter," you could use:

• Discourage: "The rules discourage cheating."
• Restrain: "The law restrains people from speeding."
• Hinder: "Heavy traffic may hinder your journey."

Using these words might change the focus slightly. "Discourage" focuses more on feelings, "restrain" refers to more active stopping, and "hinder" emphasizes obstacles.

Deconstruction

The word "deter" comes from the Latin root "deterre," which means "to frighten away." It consists of the prefix "de-" meaning "away" and "terre," which relates to "to scare or frighten."

Understanding this helps clarify that "deter" is about causing fear or concern strong enough to push someone away from taking an action.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone might choose not to do something because they were deterred by the consequences?
• Have you ever been deterred from doing something you wanted to try? What made you feel that way?
• In what ways can rules or laws deter people from breaking them in society?