deterrence

/dɪˈtɛɹəns/

//dɪˈtɛɹəns// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"deterrence" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deterrence” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #29,239 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#29,239
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of deterring, or the state of being deterred.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

deterrence vs deterrent
80% similar
deterrence vs deference
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for deterrence
PropertyValue
Headworddeterrence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈtɛɹəns/
Letters10
Frequency rank#29,239
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deterrence” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). deterrence lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for deterrence is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈtɛɹəns/. Corpus data places it at rank #29,239 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for deterrence, with forms such as "ddeterrence", "deetrrence", and "deterence". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "deterrent", "deference", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the stem of deterrent + -ence. The correct English form is deterrence, spelled D-E-T-E-R-R-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of deterring, or the state of being deterred.
  2. 2
    An action taken by states or alliances of nations against equally powerful alliances to prevent hostile action.
  3. 3
    The art of producing in one's enemy the fear of attacking.
  4. 4
    The art of producing in one's enemy the fear of attacking.
  5. 5
    The action of discouraging an action or event by instilling doubt or fear of the penalty or punishment.

Etymology

From the stem of deterrent + -ence.

Synonyms

intimidationdissuasion

This word in other languages

intimidación(Español)dissuasion(Français)Abschreckung(Deutsch)dissuasão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddeterrence,deetrrence,deterence,deterernce,deterrance,deterrecne,deterrencce,deterrenec,deterrennce,deterrnece,detrerence,detterrence,dteerrence,edterrence

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of deterrence - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddeterrence1deetrrence2deterence1deterernce2deterrance1deterrecne2deterrencce1deterrenec2
Edit distance from "deterrence"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "deterrence"?
"deterrence" is spelled D-E-T-E-R-R-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈtɛɹəns/.
What does "deterrence" mean?
As a noun, "deterrence" means: The act of deterring, or the state of being deterred.
What words are commonly confused with "deterrence"?
"deterrence" is commonly confused with "deterrent", "deference". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "deterrence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deterrence" is /dɪˈtɛɹəns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "deterrence"?
From the stem of deterrent + -ence. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “deterrence”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-T-E-R-R-E-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈtɛɹəns/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “deterrent” - see the side-by-side comparison. deterrence vs deterrent
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list