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International Relations & Diplomacy vocabulary · Conflict & Security

Deterrence

Meaning in international relations & diplomacy, with examples

/dɪˈterəns/nounCommon term

In international relations & diplomacy, deterrence means: The strategy of preventing an attack by making a possible attacker believe that the costs, such as a strong response, would be greater than any gain.

In Turkish: caydırıcılık, caydırma

How it is used

Central in security studies and defence policy: 'nuclear deterrence', 'credible deterrence', 'deterrence by denial' (showing an attack would fail) and 'deterrence by punishment' (threatening retaliation). The verb is 'deter', and 'a deterrent' is something that deters.

Example sentences

  1. In theory, deterrence works only if the threat of a response is credible.

  2. The alliance says its strategy rests on deterrence and defence.

  3. The course covers nuclear deterrence during and after the Cold War.

Common collocations

  • nuclear deterrence
  • credible deterrence
  • deterrence by denial
  • deterrence by punishment
  • deterrence strategy
  • security dilemmaA situation in which one state's efforts to make itself safer, such as buying weapons, make other states feel less safe, so they respond and overall insecurity rises.
  • arms controlAgreements and measures between states that limit the number, types, testing or use of weapons, especially nuclear weapons, in order to reduce the risk of war.
  • allianceA formal agreement between two or more states to support each other, especially militarily, and the group of states that make such an agreement.
  • escalationAn increase in the intensity, size or danger of a conflict or crisis, for example when one side's action leads the other to respond more strongly.
  • hard powerA country's ability to make others act in a certain way through military force or economic pressure, such as threats, sanctions or payments.

More terms: Conflict & Security

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