deterrent

noun/dɪˈtɛrənt/

Frequency rank: #9,243 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

something that discourages or prevents a particular action or behavior.

Illustration for the English word “deterrent”

Example sentence

The high cost of parking tickets serves as a strong deterrent to drivers who might otherwise park illegally.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 9,201–9,300