deterrent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The quiet inclusion suggests that the foundational machinery of the U.S.-Japan alliance continues to signal a shared deterrent against Beijing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

They added: "I have sympathy for the change of ownership point, but it's hardly a deterrent if you can sell before you get caught... some actual transfer ban would have been appropriate."

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

That can serve as a deterrent to starting wars in the region, he said, but “also makes them more difficult to wind down.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

He said people in Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland now tend to support rather than oppose the idea of developing an alternative European nuclear deterrent.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

He locks the gate the rest of the time, but it’s hardly a deterrent, since all you have to do is hop the curb and drive around it.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson