as a general deterrence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a general deterrence" is not entirely correct; it should be "as a general deterrent." You can use it when discussing the purpose of a policy or action intended to discourage certain behaviors or actions in a broader context.
Example: "The new law was implemented as a general deterrent to reduce crime rates in the city."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Nuclear weapons now operated as a general deterrence to aggression.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Even so, the capacity of the I.R.S. to make a general deterrence strategy successful is severely limited, a number of prominent tax experts said.

The New York Times

In its attack on tax shelters the government is using a strategy known as general deterrence.

The New York Times

Instead of prosecuting all offenders, the Justice Department brings cases against well-known individuals, hoping that widespread news coverage will encourage compliance, a policy known as general deterrence.

The New York Times

"That's a function of criminal law, to condemn as general deterrence.

The New York Times

A focus on general deterrence would not comport with the beliefs of German Philosopher Immanuel Kant who only subscribed to the principle of retribution, I.e. punishing a criminal based on his actions alone, and rejected the idea of general deterrence.

Huffington Post

We bring criminal cases and civil actions all with an objective of general deterrence and sending messages to the marketplace.

Harvard Business Review

Indeed, great rabbinic sages such as Maimonides and Saadyah maintain that general deterrence is actually a central component of all punishment in Jewish thought and law.

Huffington Post

Courts already consider, in connection with all sentencings, the impact a sentence will have on the community under the rubric of "general deterrence," as required under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), which looks at, per U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein, the need for the sentence imposed to "demonstrate to others the costs of committing a crime, thus discouraging criminal behavior" in the community.

Forbes

Not specific deterrence, since I am sure he was undeterrable, shielded by fame as he was, and not general deterrence, since I would have failed.

Huffington Post

Still, they said, the seriousness of his crimes and the need for general deterrence required "a substantial sentence".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to deter unwanted behavior broadly, use "general deterrent" rather than "general deterrence" for grammatical accuracy. For example, implement policies that serve as a "general deterrent" against corporate misconduct.

Common error

Many writers mistakenly use "deterrence" (the act of deterring) when they mean "deterrent" (something that deters). Always use "deterrent" when referring to something that serves to discourage actions. For example, "the law acts as a strong deterrent" not "the law acts as a strong deterrence".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a general deterrence" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by describing the purpose or intended effect of an action or policy. However, Ludwig AI points out that it is more correct to use "general deterrent".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "as a general deterrence" appears in various sources, it's grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI suggests that using "general deterrent" is more appropriate. This phrase is often used to describe policies or actions intended to broadly discourage unwanted behaviors. Better alternatives include "as a broad deterrent" or "serving as a general deterrent". When writing, ensure you aim for precision and grammatical correctness by choosing "general deterrent" instead of "general deterrence".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

serving as a general deterrent

Modifies the structure to use 'serving as' to describe the function of the deterrent.

as a broad deterrent

Replaces 'general deterrence' with 'broad deterrent', emphasizing the wide scope of deterrence.

intended as a general deterrent

Highlights the intended effect, using 'intended as' to clarify purpose.

as a universal deterrent

Substitutes 'general' with 'universal', highlighting the all-encompassing nature of the deterrence.

as an overall deterrent

Replaces 'general' with 'overall', stressing the comprehensive effect of the deterrent.

for the purpose of general deterrence

Adds 'for the purpose of', making the intention of general deterrence more explicit.

as a widespread deterrent

Uses 'widespread' instead of 'general' to indicate broad reach.

to achieve general deterrence

Focuses on the outcome, using 'to achieve' instead of 'as a'.

with the aim of general deterrence

Emphasizes the goal, replacing 'as a' with 'with the aim of'.

for general preventive purposes

Shifts the focus to prevention, using 'preventive purposes' instead of 'deterrence'.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the term general deterrence?

The more grammatically sound way to phrase this concept is by using the term general "general deterrent", which refers to something that discourages certain actions in a broad context. "Deterrence" itself is the act of deterring.

What can I say instead of "as a general deterrence"?

You can use alternatives like "as a broad "broad deterrent"", "as a universal "universal deterrent"", or "serving as a general "general deterrent"" depending on the context.

Is "as a general deterrence" grammatically correct?

No, "as a general "general deterrent"" is more grammatically correct. The word 'deterrent' acts as a noun, referring to something that deters, while 'deterrence' is the action of deterring.

How does the phrase "as a general deterrent" differ from "specific deterrence"?

A "general deterrent" aims to discourage a wide audience from undesirable behavior, while specific deterrence targets individual offenders to prevent repeat offenses.