deter
To put someone off doing something.
deter in a sentence
- Not even the pouring rain could deter Gran from her morning walk along the pier.
- The high price of the ride did not deter the twins, who had saved their pocket money for weeks.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to deter?
- Ainvite
- Bdiscourage
- Curge
- Dencourage
Show the answer
B: discourage. The other three mean the opposite of deter.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to deter?
- Aencourage
- Bstop
- Cprevent
- Ddiscourage
Show the answer
A: encourage. The other three mean nearly the same as deter.
Words that mean something similar
discourage, stop, prevent
Words that mean the opposite
encourage, urge, invite
More words about behaviour & manners
- devote: To give a lot of your time, effort or love to something.
- disarray: A state of untidiness and confusion.
- discreet: Careful not to attract attention or give away secrets.
- distasteful: Unpleasant or offensive, so that you dislike it.
- docile: Quiet, gentle and easy to control.
- dutiful: Careful to do everything you are supposed to do.
- eavesdrop: To listen secretly to other people's private conversation.
- entice: To tempt someone by offering them something nice.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test