deterrentsomething that discourages someone from doing something, especially a punishmentSupporters of harsh sentencing argue that severe penalties act as an effective deterrent.NoteSupporters of harsh sentencing argue that severe penalties act as an effective deterrent.Elon.io is an online learning platformWe have an entire course teaching IELTS Vocabulary — Band 7+ grammar and vocabulary.Start learning IELTS Vocabulary — Band 7+ now