Dissuade

DETER

Think of a word that means to discourage someone by making them hesitate or second-guess their actions.

"Dissuade" means to persuade someone not to do something, and "deter" fits perfectly as a synonym. The clue is straightforward—no wordplay or hidden meanings—just a direct definition. If you think of "deter" as stopping or discouraging an action, it matches the idea of dissuading someone.