deterrence
noun
de·ter·rence
di-ˈtər-ən(t)s 
-ˈter-
-ˈter-
-ˈtə-rən(t)s,
-ˈte-;
dē-
: the act or process of deterring: such as
a
: the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment
b
: the maintenance of military power for the purpose of discouraging attack
nuclear deterrence
Examples of deterrence in a Sentence
The author argues that deterrence is no longer the best way to prevent war.
Recent Examples on the Web
The second thing is that military strategy and ultimately political strategy have evolved from at first being fundamentally reactive to the initial Hamas attack, from the imperative to restore Israeli deterrence and to punish Hamas.
—
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
But from the air over Lebanon, Israel can now seemingly bomb at will; whatever deterrence previously existed has broken down.
—Sam Heller, TIME, 5 Oct. 2024
All deterrence is based on unpredictability, but it's also based on strength.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
The big picture: The series of assassinations and other military operations in the region helped restore much of Israel's deterrence, which was shattered on Oct. 7.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deterrence 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
But from the air over Lebanon, Israel can now seemingly bomb at will; whatever deterrence previously existed has broken down.
—Sam Heller, TIME, 5 Oct. 2024
All deterrence is based on unpredictability, but it's also based on strength.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
The big picture: The series of assassinations and other military operations in the region helped restore much of Israel's deterrence, which was shattered on Oct. 7.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deterrence
Articles Related to deterrence
Dictionary Entries Near deterrence
Cite this Entry
“Deterrence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deterrence. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deterrence
noun
de·ter·rence
di-ˈtər-ən(t)s
-ˈter-
-ˈter-
: the act, process, or capability of deterring
Legal Definition
deterrence
noun
de·ter·rence
di-ˈtər-əns, -ˈter-
: the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share